Gomphrena arborescens Linnaeus

Bena, Maria Julia, 2017, Typification and nomenclatural notes on twenty-seven names of Gomphrena L. (Amaranthaceae) linked to the South American flora, Phytotaxa 296 (2), pp. 131-146 : 132

Gomphrena arborescens Linnaeus filius (1781: 173)

The protologue of Gomphrena arborescens Linnaeus filius (1781: 173) consists of a short diagnosis (“ GOMPHRENA arborescens pilosa, subvolubilis”), a detailed description, and the citation “ Habitat in Nova Granada. D. Mutis ”.

According to Rees (1819), the Linnaeus filius’ citation of the habitat and collector was an error and the specimen, in fact, was sent to Linnaeus by D. Vandelli . Also Moquin-Tandon (1849) stated: “...non in regno Novo-Granatensi a cl. Mutis reperta, uti falso in Linn. f. suppl . dicitur”. According to Holzhammer (1956), Suessenguth considered the specimen Vandelli s.n. as Gomphrena arborescens L. f.

Based on all these evidences, Holzhammer (1956) reported: “Typus: In Brasilia Vandelli ”. Because Holzhammer’s indication was made before 2001, and on the basis of Art. 7.10, Holzhammer’s indication of “typus” should be considered valid but it has to be interpreted as lectotype.

For Gomphrena arborescens , I support the synonymy proposed by Holzhammer (1956: 179).