Two new species of Cephalocarpus (Cryptangieae, Cyperaceae) from the Venezuelan Guayana Highland

Abstract

While studying the collections of Cryptangieae (Cyperaceae) at the New York Botanical Garden, we found specimens of two undescribed species, which based on their achene morphology are assigned to the genus Cephalocarpus. We name and describe these two new species, C. insolitus and C. neblinensis, from the Guayana Highland of northern South America. Both species have three fimbriate hipoginium scales on opposite sides of the fruit and a constriction zone between the main body and the beak of the achene, as in other species of Cephalocarpus. We also provide illustrations, distribution maps and comments about the taxonomy and distribution for each species.