Typification and nomenclatural updating in Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae) described and/or related to the collections made by Martín de Sessé and José Mariano Mociño

Abstract

The collections of the family Dioscoreaceae filed in the Herbaria of the Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid (MA), Conservatory and Botanic Garden of Geneva (G) and from the Botanic Institute of Barcelona (BC), made by Martín de Sessé y Lacasta (1751-1808) and José Mariano Mociño y Losada (1757-1820) during the Royal Botanic Expedition to Nueva España (1787-1803) were studied; as well as, some type specimens related with them filed in other herbaria (BR, K, P and MEXU). Results show that independently from the historical importance of the collections themselves, five species have been lectotypified and in consequence, have allowed initially, to apply to them the current accepted names, as well as, to solve important doubts due to the ignorance where herbaria they were filed in, and more important to solve nomenclatural issues pending for many years in several Mexican species of the genus Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae).

Keywords

• nomenclature
• dioscorea
• historical collections
• sessé & mociño
• lectotype