Scutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González et A. Vázquez and Scutellaria sublitoralis J. G. González are described and illustrated. Scutellaria cuevasiana fits best within section Uliginosae(Epling) Epling. It is morphologically close to S. blepharophylla Epling, S. rosei Fernald and S. seleriana Loes. It differs from them by its magenta corollas, small and sessile floral bracts, longer petioles and bigger leaves. Scutellaria sublitoralis does not manifest any clear morphological affinity with species of the sections enumerated by Epling. It could be related to species in sections Pallidiflorae Epling or Uliginosae, particularly with the “Scutellaria ovata” or “ Scutellaria caerulea” species groups defined by Paton. It is morphologically similar to S. pallidiflora Epling; however, it can be recognized by wider leaves with usually cordate to subcordate bases, persistent floral bracts, floral axis and calyces without glandular-capitate hairs, longer corollas, and narrower toward the throat.
Se describen e ilustranScutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González et A. Vázquez y Scutellaria sublitoralis J. G. González. Scutellaria cuevasiana se ajusta mejor a la sección Uliginosae (Epling) Epling; es cercana en su morfología a S. blepharophylla Epling, S. rosei Fernald y S. seleriana Loes. Difiere de las mismas debido a sus corolas magenta, brácteas florales más pequeñas y sésiles, peciolos más largos y hojas más grandes. Scutellaria sublitoralis no muestra una clara afinidad con las especies de las secciones establecidas por Epling; podría estar relacionada con las especies de las secciones Pallidiflorae Epling o Uliginosae, particularmente con los grupos de especies de “Scutellaria ovata” y “Scutellaria caerulea” definidos por Paton. Es morfológicamente similar a S. pallidiflora Epling; sin embargo, puede reconocerse por sus hojas más anchas con bases por lo usual cordadas a subcordadas, brácteas florales persistentes, eje floral y cálices sin tricomas capitado-glandulares, corolas más largas, y estrechas hacia el ápice.
The genus Scutellaria includes approximately 360 species, and exhibits a subcosmopolitan distribution: absent or scarcely represented in the arctic, lowland tropical areas, deserts, southern Africa and the Pacific Islands; and present on temperate mountainous areas from the tropics and southern hemisphere, with Central Asia and China as the richest region (Paton, 1990a, 1990b).
The morphology of Mesoamerican species of genus Scutellaria was well synthesized by Pool (2006), her thorough descriptions may be also applicable for the Mexican species. In Mexico, Scutellaria is represented by 34 to 45 species (Ramamoorthy and Elliott, 1998; Domínguez et al., 2003; Villaseñor, 2004). The Mexican species of Scutellaria grow mainly in temperate mountainous areas (Ramamoorthy and Elliott, 1998).
A revision of the Lamiaceae family in the state of Jalisco, western Mexico, as part of the “Flora de Jalisco y Áreas Colindantes” project, brought us to the discovery of 2 forms of the genus Scutellaria L. (Lamiaceae), that do not belong to any of the currently recognized taxa. They are described and illustrated here as 2 new species morphologically similar to sections Pallidiflorae Epling and Uliginosae(Epling) Epling.
DescriptionsScutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González et A. Vázquez sp. nov.
Scutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González. A, general appearance; B, floral bract variation, dorsal view; C, calyx with a fragment of the petiole and floral bract; D, corollas; E, anther; F, nutlet (A-E based on J. L. Rodríguez 263 et al., and F, based on Machuca and Cházaro 7517; drawn by J. G. González-Gallegos).
Type: Villa Purificación, Villas de Cacoma, 19°49’15” N, 104°33’18” W, 1 607 m, 30 Apr 2010 (fl.), J. L. Rodríguez, J. G. Morales and L. G. Medina 263(holotype: ZEA; isotypes: IBUG, IEB, MEXU).
Scutellariae selerianae Loes. affinis sed petiolis longioribus (1.5-3.5cm vs. 0.5-1.3cm longis), laminis magnioribus (3-9.5 × 2-6cm vs. 0.5-4.5 × 0.8-1.2cm), bracteis floralibus sessilibus ob lanceolatis vel ovatis (vs. pedicellatis orbicularibus) et parvioribus (1-2.7(-5) × 0.2-0.8(-2.1) mm vs. 4-6 × 4-6 mm), nuculis sparse spinulosis, non squamosis (vs. tuberculatis; tubercula squamis stellato-peltatis) differt.
Perennial herbs (17-) 30-60cm tall; erect; roots fasciculate; stems cylindrical or subquadrangular, moderately to densely covered by tiny appressed and retrorse hairs (also present on the floral axis, where occasionally are erect). Petioles (1.5-) 3-3.5cm long, densely covered with retrorse and erect hairs. Blades variable, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate to rhomboid, often asymmetric, (3-)5-7.5(-9.2)cm long, (2-)3.5-4.5(-6)cm wide, acute to acuminate at apex, rounded and abrupt and shortly cuneate, or cuneate at base, margin broad and irregularly crenate or sometimes serrate with simple hairs along its border, adaxial surface dark green with some appressed simple hairs, abaxial surface paler with appressed simple hairs only on the veins. Inflorescences in racemes, terminal and lax, 5-6cm long; flowers alternate or subopposite (sometimes opposite), spirally arranged, nodes 4-6 mm apart at the inflorescence base. Floral bracts lanceolate to ovate, 1-2.7(-5) mm long, 0.2-0.8(-2.1) mm wide, persistent or late deciduous, glabrous or with some tiny hairs, mainly along the margin, rounded to acuminate at apex, truncate at base, margin entire. Pedicels 1.4-2.5 mm long, 3-5.1 mm long in fruit, moderately covered with tiny antrorse hairs. Calyces 2-2.3 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide at throat (6 mm long, 3.5 mm wide in fruit), pale green, with appressed hairs on the middle vein, the scutellum rib and the base near the pedicel, sparsely covered with tiny translucent glandular dots, the margin of the lips reddish; scutellum 0.3-0.6 mm tall in flower, 3.8-4.5 mm tall in fruit, green with the dorsal margin reddish. Corollas magenta or rarely white; tube 1.9-2.1cm long, straight or slightly bent basally at 3.7-4 mm, then again straight (1.1-1.2 mm wide), and gradually expanding to 3.2-3.5 mm wide at throat, glabrous inside, sparsely covered with erect tiny hairs outside; upper lip 2.7-3 mm long, lower lip 4-5 mm long, with glandular-capitate hairs along the margin of the lips, mainly on the upper one. Filaments of the upper stamens (3.5-) 4.5-5.2 mm long, filament of the lower stamens 6-6.5 mm long; anthers 1 mm long, white pilose on the slits. Style 2.1-2.2cm long, glabrous. Nutlets subreniform to piriform, (1-)1.6-1.8 mm long, 1 mm wide, black, surface sparsely spinulose, glabrous.
Taxonomic summary
Distribution, habitat and phenology. Scutellaria cuevasiana is endemic to Jalisco (Fig. 2). It ranges between (1 000-) 1 400-1 800 (-2 090) m. It grows in montane cloud, pine-oak and riparian forests. It shares habitat with Quercus laeta Liebm., Q. resinosa Liebm., Clethra rosei Britton, C. hartwegii Benth., Eugenia culminicola McVaugh, Alnus jorullensis Kunth, Symplocos novogaliciana L. M. González, Magnolia iltisiana A. Vázquez, M. pacifica A. Vázquez, Cedrela odorata L., Ardisia revoluta Kunth, Croton wilburi McVaugh, Euphorbia aff. palmeri Engelm. ex S. Watson, Sideroxylon cartilagineum (Cronquist) T. D. Penn., Trophis racemosa (L.) Urb., Oreopanax peltatus Linden, O. echinops (Cham. et Schltdl.) Decne. et Planch., Ficus velutina Humb. et Bonpl. ex Willd., Fraxinus uhdei (Wenz.) Lingelsh., Clusia salvinii Donn. Sm., Sipatuna thecaphora(Poepp. et Endl.) A. DC., Conostegia sp., Parathesis sp. and Leucaena sp. This plant blooms and fructifies from August to middle December.
Etymology. Scutellaria cuevasiana is named in honor of Ramón Cuevas-Guzmán, from the Instituto Manantlán de Ecología y Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico. He has contributed greatly to the exploration and knowledge of the flora of Jalisco, and to the formation of new botanists and ecologists.
Additional material examined. Mexico. Jalisco. Autlán de Navarro: Las Joyas, Sierra de Manantlán, 1 800 m, 20 Aug 1982 (fl., fr.), Pérez 192 (IBUG); camino de Las Mantequillas a la cascada Las Juntas, Las Joyas, 1 600 m, 8 Dec 1985 (fr.), Vázquez 3766 (ZEA); de Las Galeras a la cascada grande, 1 600-1 650 m, 3 Aug 1986 (fl.), Cuevas 1442 (MEXU); 12-13km al S de Autlán, 1 500 m, 24 Jul 1988 (fl.), Santana and De Niz 3670 (ZEA). Ayutla: Las Iglesias, 2 090 m, 24 Dec 2002 (fr.), Cuevas et al. 7594 (ZEA). Casimiro Castillo: Sierra de Manantlán Occidental, 2km E of the microondas tower above puerto Los Mazos, 9km (by air) NE of Casimiro Castillo, 1 760 m, 16 Dec 1988 (fl., fr.), Iltis and Santana 30109 (MEXU), 30123 (ZEA); Los Mazos, al W de Autlán, 1 800 m, 10 Sep 1989 (fr.), Ramírez and González-T. 1570 (IBUG); Los Mazos, Sierra de Manantlán, 9-10km al SSW de Autlán, 9-10km al NNE de Casimiro Castillo, 1 750 m, 15 Jul 1992, Santana et al. 11183 (ZEA); Los Mazos, Sierra de Manantlán, 9-10km al SSW de Autlán, 9-10km NNE de Casimiro Castillo, 24 Nov 2008 (fl., fr.), Sigala et al. 23 (ZEA), Mendoza 15(ZEA). Talpa de Allende: km 19 del camino Talpa-La Cuesta, 1 400 m, 17 Nov 1989 (fl., fr.), Ramírez et al. 1857 (IBUG); brecha Talpa-La Cumbre, 1 400 m, 28 Jul 1990, R. Ramírez D.2121 (IBUG); brecha de Talpa a La Cuesta, en Paso Hondo, 1 550 m, 15 Oct 1995 (fl., fr.), Machuca and Cházaro 7517 (IBUG); Talpa-La Cuesta, 20°12’58.5” N, 104°46’27.4” W, 1 426 m, 8 Aug 2009 (fl.), Quedensely and Arroyo 10160(CIIDIR).
Remarks. We agree with Pool (2006) and Cuevas (2010) considering the infrageneric classifications proposed by Epling (1939, 1940) and Paton (1990) as unsatisfactory in the circumscriptions of their groups. However, their proposals are still the basis for the study of the genus, until an exhaustive revision and a new natural classification are developed.
Scutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González et A. Vázquez fits within section Uliginosae (Epling) Epling, which is equivalent to section Scutellaria and “Scutellaria uliginosa” species group of Paton (1990), because the magenta corollas (purplish), small (less than 60cm tall) herbaceous habit, fibrous or fasciculate roots, slightly hirsute leaves on the adaxial surface, and with appressed hairs on the vein of the abaxial one, alternate or subopposite flowers, spirally arranged in terminal racemes (Epling, 1939, 1942; Pool, 1998). However, the corollas are slightly longer than those exhibited by the members of section Uliginosae: 2.2-2.4cm vs. 1.1-1.8cm long (measurements including the upper lip length).
Scutellaria blepharophylla Epling, S. rosei Fernald and S. seleriana Loes. are morphologically similar with S. cuevasiana. They share similar habit, leaf size and shape, terminal lax inflorescences, generally persistent floral bracts, flowers spirally arranged, corollas with reddish colors (magenta, pale to deep red-purple, rose-purple), except for S. blepharophylla which possess dark blue corollas, and overlapping corolla tube length (Table 1). It differs from S. blepharophylla in having much longer petioles (15-35mm vs. 3-4mm long), shorter floral bracts (1-2.7(-5)mm vs. 7mm long), shorter pedicels (2-2.4mm vs. 3-4mm long), and magenta corollas instead of dark blue ones (Table 1). It is different from S. rosei because of its longer petioles (15-35mm vs. 1-3mm long), shorter inflorescences (5-6cm vs. 20-30cm long), shorter floral bracts (1-2.7(-5)mm vs. 5-8mm long), shorter pedicels (2-2.4mm vs. 3-7mm long), absence of glandular-capitate hairs on the calyces, and smaller lower corolla lip (4-5mm vs. 9-10mm long) (Table 1). Finally, it differs from S. seleriana in having longer petioles (15-35mm vs. 5-13mm long), larger leaves (3-9.5cm long and 2-6cm wide vs. 0.5-4.5 long and 0.8-1.2cm wide), floral bracts lanceolate to ovate vs. orbicular, sessile vs. pedicellate, and smaller (1-2.7(-5)mm long and 0.2-0.8(-2.1)mm wide vs. 4-6mm long and 4-6mm wide), and nutlets sparsely spinulose without scales vs. tuberculate with stellate-peltate scales (Table 1).
Character comparison between Scutellaria cuevasiana J. G. González et A. Vázquez and its most morphologically similar species
| Character | S. cuevasiana | S. blepharophylla | S. rosei | S. seleriana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Perennial herb, erect | Perennial herb, erect | Perennial herb, erect | Perennial herb, erect |
| Height (cm) | (17-)30-60 | 25-35 | 60-70 | 10-50 |
| Leaves | ||||
| Petiole length (mm) | (15-)30-35 | 3-4 | 1-3 | 5-13 |
| Blade shape | Lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate to rhomboid | Widely ovate | Ovate | Widely ovate |
| Blade size (cm) | (3-)5-7.5(-9.2) × (2-)3.5-4.5(-6) | 3-4.2 × 3.1-3.3 | (3.5-)4-6 × (2.8-)3-4 | (0.5-)1.2-1.8(4.5) × 0.8-1.2 |
| Base of the blade | Rounded and abrupt and shortly cuneate | Rounded | Rounded to subtruncate | Widely cuneate to subtruncate |
| Apex of the blade | Acute to acuminate | Obtuse to acute | Acuminate | Obtuse to acute |
| MarginInflorescence | Broad and irregularly crenate or sometimes serrulate | Sinuate-dentate | Crenate to dentate | Crenate to subentire |
| Length (cm) | 5-6 | 3-8(-15) | 20-30 | 2-5 (sometimes the flowers in the axils of the uppermost leaves) |
| Floral bract | ||||
| Shape | Lanceolate to ovate | Lanceolate | Lanceolate | Orbicular |
| Size (mm) | 1-2.7(-5) × 0.2-0.8(-2.1) | 7 × 3 | 5-8 × 2.5-4 | 4-6 × 4-6 |
| Apex | Rounded to acuminate | Acuminate to acute | Acuminate to acute | Rounded |
| Base | Truncate | Cuneate | Truncate | Rounded to slightly cuneate |
| Duration | Persistent to late deciduous | Persistent | Persistent | Persistent |
| Pedicels | ||||
| Length in flower (mm) | 1.4-2.5 | 3-4 | 3-7 | 3-4 |
| Calyces | ||||
| Size (mm) | 2-2.3 × 1.5-2 | 3-4 × 2.5-3 | 3-5 × 4-5 | 1.5-2 × 2.5-3 |
| Pubescence | Sparsely covered with appressed eglandular hairs | Glabrous to glabrescent | Glandular-capitate | Densely covered with appressed simple hairs |
| Corolla | ||||
| Color | Magenta | Dark blue | Rose-purple to red-purple | Pale to deep red- purple |
| Tube size (mm) | 19-21 | 17-19 | 19-25 | (10-)12-15(-18) |
| Upper lip length (mm) | 2.7-3 | 3-4 | 6-7 | 2 |
| Lower lip length (mm) | 4-5 | 6-7 | 9-10 | 3.5 |
| Nutlets | ||||
| Shape | Subreniform to piriform | Not seen | Not seen | Ovoid |
| Surface | Sparsely spinulose | Not seen | Not seen | Tuberculate with stellate-peltate scales |
| Length (mm) | (1-)1.6-1.8 | Not seen | Not seen | 1.25-1.75 |
| Habitat | Montane cloud, pine-oak and riparian forests | Grasslands | Unknown | Montane cloud forests |
| Phenology | Blooms and fructifies from August to middle December | Blooms and fructifies in July | Blooms and fructifies in July | Blooms and fructifies from July to December |
| Distribution | Mexico: Jalisco | Mexico: Guerrero, Estado de México, and Michoacán | Mexico:Sinaloa | Guatemala: Huehuetenango, Petén, Quiché. Mexico: Chiapas, Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí |
It should be noticed that the specimen Cuevas 1442 (MEXU) includes both Scutellaria dumetorum Schltdl., and S. cuevasiana in the same sheet. The first one can be easily distinguished by means of its flowers disposed in the axils of the leaves rather than in terminal racemes. On the other hand, Iltis and Santana collected 2 specimens of S. cuevasiana with the numbers 30109 and 30123, and they wrote on the labels that one plant had purple corollas and the other white ones; apart from this, there are not more differences between the specimens, indicating that this species can have magenta corollas and less frequently white ones (this can be partially observed in the holotype and isotypes, because dried flowers have 2 different colors).
Scutellaria sublitoralis J. G. González sp. nov.
Type:Mexico. Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta, 3.5km al SE por la brecha de Puerto Vallarta a Cuale a partir del puente del Remance, 500-700 m al SE del arco del ejido Jorullo, junto a una cascada que vierte en el río Cuale, 20°34’53.8” N, 105°12’28.4” W, 92 m, 24 Oct 2010 (fl., fr.), J. G. González-Gallegos 754 (holotype: IBUG; isotype: MEXU).
Species habitus Scutellariae pallidiflorae Epling optima congruens, sed laminis latioribus (3.5-6cm vs. 3-3.5cm longis), bracteis floralibus lanceolatis persistentibus (vs. linearibus deciduis), axe inflorescentiae et calycibus sine pilis glanduliferis, tubis corollarum angustis at apicem (vs. ampliatis at apicem), intus nudis (vs. intus annulis pilorum ornatis) differt.
Perennial herb 20-50cm tall; erect, roots thin and fasciculate; stem cylindrical to quadrangular, moderately to densely covered with tiny appressed and retrorse hairs, these hairs are present also on the floral axis. Petioles 2.5-4cm long, covered with appressed and retrorse hairs. Blades ovate, slightly asymmetric, (4-) 5-6.5cm long, (3.5-) 4-6cm wide, acute at apex, cordate to subcordate or truncate at base, margin irregularly and sparsely crenate or undulated, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial surface slightly paler, both surfaces glabrous or with some patent hairs along the margin. Inflorescences in racemes, terminal and lax, 6-15cm long, flowers alternate to opposite, spirally arranged, nodes 7-12mm apart from each other. Floral bracts linear, 1.5-2.7mm long, 0.1-0.2mm wide, persistent, with tiny erect hairs concentrated at base and along the margin, acuminate at apex, truncate at base, margin entire. Pedicels 2-3mm long, 3.5-4mm in fruit, covered with tiny retrorse hairs. Calyces (2-) 2.7-3.2mm long, 1.4-1.7mm wide at apex (3.5mm long, 2.2mm wide in fruit), green, margin of the lips with a fine purple line invisible to the naked eye, sparsely covered with erect tiny hairs, those concentrated at base and the margin of the lips, scutellum 1mm tall and wide in flower, 1.5-2mm tall and 3mm long in fruit, green with the dorsal margin bordered with a narrow purple line. Corollas white; tube (1.3-) 1.4-2cm long, slightly bent at 3.5-5mm long, then straight and consistently narrow (1.1-1.2mm wide) for 4.7-6mm long, and gradually expanding to 3-3.3mm wide at throat, glabrous inside, with sparse glandular-capitate and glandular simple hairs outside; upper lip 3-4mm long, lower lip 5-6mm long, tiny glandular-capitate hairs along the margin of the lips. Filaments of the upper stamens 3-4mm long, filaments of the lower stamens 5.5-6.5mm long; anther 0.3-1mm long, white pilose on the slits. Styles 1.4-2.4cm long, glabrous. Nutlets orbicular to subreniform, 1.5mm long, 1.2-1.5mm wide, black, the surface densely tuberculate (tubercules truncate at the apex), glabrous, covered with bright and tiny glandular dots.
Taxonomic summary
Distribution, habitat and phenology. Scutellaria sublitoralis grows in tropical subdeciduous forests, in wet and shady ravines, near the coasts of Jalisco and Nayarit (figure 2). It grows in a narrow altitudinal range, from 50-125 m, together with Hura polyandra Baill., Brosimum alicastrum Sw., Ficus insipida Willd., Euphorbia mexiae Standl., Begonia plebeja Liebm., Achimenes sp. Collected in flower and fruit from August to late November.
Etymology. The name of S. sublitoralis remarks its subcoastal distribution, always growing under 150 m and above 50 m altitude.
Additional material examined. Mexico. Jalisco. La Huerta: arroyo Maderas, 22 Aug 1985 (fl.), Solís 4410 (MEXU); 500 m sobre el arroyo Tepeixtles, km 55.5 de la carretera Barra de Navidad-Puerto Vallarta, 3km al SE de la entrada de la Estación de Biología Chamela, UNAM, 70 m, 12 Sep 1997 (fl.), Téllez et al. 13244 (MEXU), Téllez and Domínguez 13228 (MEXU). Puerto Vallarta: La Palapa (Las Peñas), 20°40’30” N, 105°6’20” W, 125 m, 21 Feb 1993 (fr.), Castillo et al. 9968 (XAL). Nayarit. Bahía de Banderas: faldas de la sierra de Vallejo, entre Valle de Banderas y San Juan de Abajo, 20°50’53” N, 105°13’45” W, 55 m, 25 Nov 1997 (fl.), Ramírez et al. 4642(IBUG).
Remarks. Scutellaria sublitoralis is morphologically similar to Salvia pallidiflora Epling in sect. Pallidiflorae Epling. It shares with these, perennial herbaceous habit, fasciculate roots, ovate or elliptic petiolate blades, flowers arranged in short racemes, pale or essentially white corollas, and narrow tube. However, it shows some small discrepancies: the bracts are persistent instead of mostly deciduous, and the tube is not internally pilose. Furthermore, S. sublitoralis can be distinguished by its wider leaves (3.5-6cm vs. 3-3.7cm wide), generally cordate at base vs. rounded, calyx and floral axis without glandular-capitate hairs, pedicel as long as calyx in flower (vs. twice or more in length than the calyx in flower), and white corolla.
There is also an abrupt difference between the habitat preference of S. pallidiflora and S. sublitoralis. The first one is known exclusively by the type specimen (Rose 2487, seen in a natural sized photograph), where the locality is written as “near Huejuquilla”. McVaugh (1972) adds more information to the locality data of this collection: between San Juan Capsitrano (Zacatecas) and Huejuquilla (Jalisco). In this area, according to Vázquez et al. (2004), there are several patches mainly composed of pine-oak and tropical deciduous forests, crassicaule bush and Chihuahuan desert, in an altitudinal range from 1 000-1 700 m. In contrast, S. sublitoralis grows in tropical subdeciduous forest under 150 m altitude. This kind of habitat is remarkably unusual among the Mexican Scutellaria, most of which occupy temperate mountainous areas above 1 500 m altitude.
Scutellaria vitifolia Brandegee also shares some characters with S. sublitoralis. The habit and height, petiole length, blade shape and size, apex and base of the blade, inflorescence length, tube and upper lip length. However, S. sublitoralis can be distinguished by stems and calyces without glandular-capitate hairs, white corolla (vs. blue to rarely purple), corolla tube internally glabrous (vs. pubescent internally in the central middle portion), nutlets ornate with tubercules truncate at the apex (vs. nutlets with tubercules ornate with stellatepeltate scales at apex) (Table 2). Moreover, S. sublitoralis is exclusive of Jalisco and Nayarit lowlands from 50-125 m altitude; while, S. vitifolia is known from Chiapas (Mexico) and adjacent areas of Guatemala, and it grows in a wider altitudinal range, from 60 to 2 100 m altitude (Table 2).
Character comparison between Scutellaria sublitoralis J. G. González and S. pallidiflora Epling
| Character | S. sublitoralis | S. pallidiflora | S. vitifolia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Perennial herb, erect | Perennial herb, erect | Perennial herb, erect |
| Leaves | |||
| Petiole length (cm) | 2.5-4 | 1.5-2.5 | 2-7 |
| Blade shape | Ovate | Ovate | Ovate to deltoid |
| Blade size (cm) | (4-)5-6.5 × (3.5)4-6 | 5-5.5 × 3-3.7 | 2.5-12 × 2-10 |
| Base of the blade | Cordate to subcordate to truncate | Rounded | Cordate to subcordate |
| Apex of the blade | Acute | Obtuse | Acute to acuminate |
| Margin | Irregular and sparsely crenate to undulated | Subentire | Crenulate |
| Inflorescence | |||
| Length (cm) | 6-15 | 5-9 | 2-7 |
| Floral bract | |||
| Shape | Linear | Ovate | Narrow elliptic |
| Size (mm) | 1.5-2.7 × 0.1-0.2 | 1.5-2 × 0.5 | 6-8 × 2-3 |
| Apex | Acuminate | Acuminate | Acute |
| Base | Truncate | Truncate | Truncate |
| Duration | Persistent | Deciduous | Persistent |
| Pedicels | |||
| Length (mm) | 2-3 | 3-4 | 5-8 |
| Calyces | |||
| Size (mm) | (2-)2.7-3.2 × 1.4-1.7 | 2-3 × 2-3 | 7-10 × 5-7 |
| Pubescence | Sparsely covered with erect tiny hairs | Covered with glandular- capitate hairs | Sparsely covered with erect hairs |
| Corolla | |||
| Color | White | White | Blue to rarely purple |
| Tube size (mm) | (13-)14-20 | 13-16 | 15-17 |
| Upper lip length (mm) | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-8 |
| Lower lip length (mm) | 5-6 | 6-7 | 12-13 |
| Nutlets | |||
| Shape | Orbicular to subreniform | Not seen | Not seen |
| Surface | Tuberculate | Not seen | Not seen |
| Size (mm) | 1.5 ×1.2-1.5 | Not seen | Not seen |
| Altitudinal range (m) | 50-125 | 1000-1700 | 60-2 100 |
| Habitat | Tropical subdeciduous forests | Pine-oak forests | Montane cloud or pine-oak forests |
| Phenology | Blooms and fructifies from August | Blooms and fructifies in | Blooms and fructifies |
| to late November | August | from July to September | |
| Distribution | Mexico: coast of Jalisco and southwestern Nayarit | Mexico: Jalisco | Mexico: Chiapas;Guatemala:Quetzaltenango |
We thank Luz María González Villarreal, Ernesto De Castro Arce, Jeanette Hernández Santana and Ramón Cuevas Guzmán, from the University of Guadalajara, and Deborah Vaile, from the library of the Royal Botanical Garden of Edinburgh, for specialized literature acquisition. Servando Carvajal Hernández from Instituto de Botánica (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico) reviewed and improved the latin diagnosis. We appreciate the valuable information provided by José Luis Rodríguez Hernández and José Morales Arias about the holotype specimen of S. cuevasiana. We also thank the curators and colleagues from the herbaria consulted: CIIDIR, IBUG, MEXU, ZEA, and XAL, for the help and facilities provided. Ernesto De Castro Arce gave us valuable comments on the paper. Amy Pool (Missouri Botanical Garden) and two anonymous reviewers greatly improved the paper with their suggestions. Financial support was provided by CONACYT and Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico.