Lectotypification of Macroptilium atropurpureum (Leguminosae)

Abstract

Macroptilium atropurpureum is an economically important forage species. The species is native to the Americas but it is widely cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics. There is no updated taxonomic revision of Macroptilium covering its full geographical range and historically there have been some nomenclatural vacillations regarding the rank of the name Macroptilium, and as a consequence a number of Macroptilium species are currently poorly defined. During the preparation of a taxonomic account of Macroptilium species occurring in Venezuela it became apparent that the species Macroptilium atropurpureum (≡ Phaseolus atropurpureus) had never been formally typified. In order to avoid any ambiguity regarding the application of the name M. atropurpureum, we here propose a lectotype for its basionym, Phaseolus atropurpureus. Some of the names included as synonyms are also lectotypified when clarification of application is necessary.