Francisco-Gutiérrez, A., E. Ruiz-Sanchez, and A. Lira-Noriega. 2023. Biogeografía y evaluaciones de conservación de las especies de Lamourouxia (Orobanchaceae). Acta Botanica Mexicana. https://doi.org/10.21829/abm130.2023.2213
Background and Aims: Parasitic plants represent approximately 1% of the world’s angiosperm diversity. The highest richness of parasitic plant species among angiosperms belongs to Orobanchaceae, the only family with three main nutritional stages: autotrophic, hemiparasitic, and holoparasitic. Hemiparasitic genera are the most diverse, unstudied, and sometimes neglected within Orobanchaceae. Pedicularideae, the largest tribe of hemiparasitic taxa in Orobanchaceae, contains several poorly known genera. One of these is Lamourouxia, a genus of 30 species distributed throughout the Americas, but mostly endemic to Mexico. Due to the lack of knowledge about the biogeographic patterns, ende-mism, and conservation status of Lamourouxia species, the objectives of this study were to estimate their species richness and endemism, determine the areas of endemismin the Americas, and assess their conservation status.Methods: Applying a taxonomic revision of physical and digitized herbaria specimens, citizen science observations, and scientific open access databases, we conducted biogeo-graphic analyses for the whole genus. Moreover, the conservation status of all Lamourouxia species was assessed following the IUCN Red List guidelines.Key results: The highest species richness, highest weighted endemism, and corrected weighted endemism values occurred in southern Mexico. Three areas of endemicity were distributed throughout western Mexico. Four species were classified as Endangered (EN), and three as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN risk categories. Endemic and rarely recorded Lamourouxia species were mostly distributed in unprotected areas in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico.Conclusions: The Mexican Transition Zone is the center of diversification of Lamourouxia, and one third of the genus is endemic to this region. It is strongly encouraged to carry out actions to conserve threatened species of Lamourouxia, which are distributed in the Sierra Madre del Sur, the biogeographic province with the highest number of endemic species in Mexico.
Collected Asteraceae and identified Geraniaceae
Collected Melastomataceae and identified Melastomataceae
Collected Poaceae and identified Poaceae
Collected Rubiaceae and identified Fabaceae
Collected Asteraceae and identified Anacardiaceae
Walter G. Berendsohn
Germany
Collected Fabaceae and identified Fabaceae
Collected Asteraceae and identified Asteraceae
Denver T. Cayetano
Belize
Collected Cichlidae
Collected Fabaceae and identified Euphorbiaceae
Maarten J. M. Christenhusz
United Kingdom; Netherlands; Finland; Australia
Collected Solanaceae and identified Plantaginaceae
Collected Rubiaceae and identified Droseraceae
Collected Araceae and identified Araceae
Collected Orchidaceae and identified Orchidaceae
Finn Ervik
Norway
Collected Moraceae and identified Moraceae
EFRAIN FREIRE
Ecuador
Collected Rubiaceae and identified Asteraceae
Collected Melastomataceae and identified Euphorbiaceae
Collected Polygalaceae and identified Melastomataceae
Collected Asteraceae and identified Poaceae
Collected Bignoniaceae and identified Bignoniaceae
Collected Asteraceae and identified Poaceae
Collected Araceae and identified Araceae
Collected Pteridaceae and identified Pteridaceae
Collected Eriocaulaceae and identified Eriocaulaceae
Collected Poaceae and identified Poaceae
Collected Passifloraceae and identified Passifloraceae
Collected Fabaceae and identified Fabaceae
Collected Melastomataceae and identified Melastomataceae
Collected Fabaceae and identified Fabaceae
Collected Orchidaceae and identified Orchidaceae
Collected Orchidaceae