Carexrecondita Muñoz-Schüler, Martín-Bravo & Jim.Mejías (Carex section Junciformes Kük., Cyperaceae), a new sedge species from the Andes of central Chile.

CarexsectionJunciformes is one of the most diverse groups of the genus in South America, consisting of approximately 30 species. Here we describe a new species, Carexrecondita, belonging to this section. We studied its placement within a molecular phylogeny of the group and found it to constitute an independent lineage. The new species is morphologically very close to C.austroamericana, from southern Patagonia, despite being phylogenetically divergent to the rest of Patagonian species of sect. Junciformes. So far, this species is known only from a few specimens recently collected in its type locality, despite growing in a well-collected area in the Andes of Metropolitana Region of Santiago, the most populated administrative region of Chile. We provide a detailed morphological description, comments on its relationship with other Southern Cone species of sect. Junciformes and relevant ecological notes.

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and Hypericum (Hypericaceae) from Ecuador.

Background: Knowledge of Carex L. (true sedges) and Hypericum L. (St. John's wort) in the Neotropics is fragmentary. New information: As a result of a fieldwork campaign in Ecuador and revision of herbarium collections (K, QCA and QCNE), we present here relevant records of twelve Carex (Cyperaceae) and four Hypericum (Hypericaceae) species. Regarding Carex, we present the novel report for South America of C.aztecica, as well as the first Ecuadorian records for C.brehmeri, C.collumanthus, C.fecunda, C.melanocystis and C.punicola. The three later records have additional biogeographical significance, as they represent the new northern limit of these species. We also include observations for another five species included in the Ecuadorian Red List of Endemic Plants. As a result, the list of native Carex reported for Ecuador would now include 52 taxa. With regard to Hypericum, we include the new report of H.sprucei for the province of Bolívar, and the confirmation of the presence of three rare species (H.acostanum, H.matangense, H.prietoi) in their type localities, although with extremely low population sizes. We discuss their conservation status and implications.