The typification and characterization of the genus Psychotria L. (Rubiaceae)

The taxonomic history of Psychotria asiatica L., the type species of the ge nus Psychotria L., is introduced and discussed in detail. For the first tim e, the name P. asiatica is unambiguously linked with wild populations of Ps ychotria from south-east China, allowing critical morphological characteris tics and geographical distribution of Psychotria sensu stricto to be known. A full description of P. asiatica is given and representative herbarium sp ecimens are cited. The importance and implications of identifying living re presentatives that match the type species of Psychotria are briefly discuss ed. One significant finding of this study is that P. asiatica has pyrenes w ith preformed germination slits (PGSs), the absence of which has been used by some workers to separate Psychotria from other members of the tribe Psyc hotrieae. (C) 2001 The Linnean Society of London.