Taxonomic synopsis of section Apodostemon (Dioscorea; Dioscoreaceae)

Abstract

A SYNOPTIC STUDY OF THE TAXONOMY OF THE SECTION APODOSTEMON OF THE GENUS DIOSCOREA IS PRESENTED. EIGHTEEN SPECIES ARE RECOGNIZED AS MEMBERS, THE NOMENCLATURAL ISSUES ARE REVIEWED, AND THE SPECIES ARE ARRANGED ACCORDING TO THEIR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS: 11 MEXICAN-CENTRAL AMERICAN AND 7 SOUTH AMERICAN SPECIES. NOTES ON THEIR MORPHOLOGY, RELATIONSHIPS AND ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCES ARE GIVEN, AS WELL AS IMPORTANT EXSICCATE AND PERTINENT LITERATURE. FINALLY, 7 SPECIES TRADITIONALLY INCLUDED IN SECTION APODOSTEMON ARE EXCLUDED HERE.