ABSTRACT Four morphotypes with associated names are presented toward a more reliable circumscription of Paepalanthus chiquitensis . Morphotype I, associated with the names P. chiquitensis , P. speciosus var. bolivianus , and P. amoenus var. bolivianus , is restricted to savannas of Bolivia and western Brazil. Morphotype II, associated with the names P. formosus and P. moldenkeanus , is distributed in Colombia and Venezuela, occurring in high‐altitude shrublands and lowland savannas. Morphotype III, associated with the names P. giganteus and P. speciosus var. pulverulentus , is distributed in the Brazilian savannas of Southeast and Central regions. Morphotype IV, associated with the names P. speciosus var. grandifolius and P. erectifolius var. glabrus , is restricted to the Diamantina Plateau (Brazil) and adjacencies. Three names previously treated as synonymous with P. chiquitensis ( P. speciosus var. attenuatus , P. speciosus f. calvescens , and P. speciosus var. goyazensis ) are transferred to the synonymy of P. koernickei . A lectotype for P. speciosus var. attenuatus is also provided. Dubious morphological variants are discussed. This proposal intends to provide the basis for a forthcoming detailed taxonomic and nomenclatural revision of P . sect. Diphyomene , serving also as a guide for a taxonomic sampling in further morphometric and genomic studies.
Marcelo Trovó (Sun,) studied this question.