Aethiocarpa reduced to Harmsia (Malvaceae, Dombeyoideae)

The unispecific genus Aethiocarpa was distinguished from Harmsia principall y on the basis of ovary and fruit structure: one-seeded, unilocular ovaries and indehiscent fruit versus two-seeded, bilocular ovaries and tardily deh iscent fruit, respectively. A critical re-examination of ovary characters, however, reveals that both genera share biovulate unilocular ovaries, which are unique within subfamily Dombeyoideae (Malvaceae). Differences in indum entum, inflorescence morphology, and number of seed per fruit, which were c ited as ancillary characters distinguishing Aethiocarpa from Harmsia, do no t appear to justify the recognition of two different genera. Aerhiocarpa is therefore considered to be a synonym of Harmsia and the new combination H. lepidota is proposed.