A morphometric and taxonomic study of Monstera (Araceae) in Bahia, Brazil

A taxonomic revision is presented of the three taxa of Monstera (Araceae) recognized for Bahia State, Brazil:– M. adansonii subsp. blanchetii (stat. nov.), M. adansonii subsp. klotzschiana (stat. nov.) and M. praetermissa; a fourth taxon, not so far recorded from the state, M. adansonii subsp. laniata (stat. nov.), is distinguished from subsp. blanchetii. The two highly variable subspecies of Monstera adansonii were further investigated by morphometric study of herbarium specimens. These two taxa were distinguished using principal coordinates analysis (classical multidimensional scaling) and linear discriminant analysis; the most important diagnostic characters are stigma length and width, stigmatophore length, style apex size and leaf perforation number. Discrimination on leaf characters alone was over 90% successful – subsp. blanchetii differs most significantly from subsp. klotzschiana in higher values for perforation number and leaf base angle. Descriptions, illustrations, geographical and conservation status information and a key to the taxa are provided. Two neotypes are proposed (M. maximilianii Engl., M. klotzschiana Schott) and discussions of the typifications are provided.