PlantNow ISSN 2675-4622 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.12895139 vol 1(2): 43–51 (2020) https://plantnowjournal.wordpress.com/ Morphology and distribution support Pseudaraeococcus (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae) as a new genus from the Atlantic forest of Northeastern Brazil Ricardo Ambrósio Soares Pontes1, Alice Calvente1,2 and Leonardo M. Versieux1,2* 1 Graduate Program in Systematics and Evolution, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59078-970, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil 2 Department of Botany and Zoology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59078-970, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil *Corresponding author:
[email protected] Academic editor: Mayara Alves Pereira Received 13 July 2020 Accepted for publication 11 Aug 2020 Published 06 Sep 2020 Abstract After a revision of the genus Araeococcus Brong. two distinct morpho-biogeographical groups, also supported by anatomical characters, became evident and contradictory. Thus, here we elevate a subgenus to the generic level and propose the new Pseudareococcus to accommodate species bearing a unique combination of vegetative, reproductive and biogeographical features. Pseudaraeococcus differs from Araeococcus by the utriculate rosette with a developed tank (vs. fasciculate rosette and tank inconspicuous or absent), leaves nearly entire (vs. serrate), petals patent or reflexed (vs. petals erect), filaments cylindrical (vs. complanate), anther apex apiculate (vs. caudate), stigma conduplicate-spiral (vs. convolute-obconic, convolute blade I or simple-erect), seed coat with alveolar cells (vs. with cells with linear shapes), and by the Atlantic forest (vs. Amazonian/Central America) distribution. Six new combinations were made to accommodate species, and an identification key, a distributional map, and photographs of plants and structures are provided.