On the sectional nomenclature of Suaeda (Chenopodiaceae)

The genus Suaeda (Chenopodiaceae) has been divided historically into two to eight sections or between two and seven genera. We review the sectional no menclature of Suaeda to clarify priorities of sectional and generic names a nd to determine or assign types for each of these. The nomenclatural histor y of Suaeda has been complicated by past misapplication of the name S. frut icosa to the generic type, S. vera Forssk. ex J.F. Gmel., and incorrect aut hor attribution as "Suaeda fruticosa (L.) Forssk.", as well as confusion wi th the species correctly called S. fruticosa Forssk. ex J.F. Gmel. The gene ric type, Suaeda vera, is also the type of S. sect. Chenopodina Moq. (S. se ct. Lachnostigma Iljin, nom. superfl.), which is correctly named S. sect. S uaeda. Suaeda fruticosa is placed in S. sect. Salsina Moq. Suaeda sect. Bre zia (Moq.) Volk. is reinstated over S. sect. Heterosperma Iljin, and S. sec t. Schoberia (C.A. Mey.) Volk. is reinstated over S. sect. Conosperma Iljin . Other currently accepted sectional epithets include Limbogermen Iljin, Ph ysophora Iljin, Schanginia (C.A. Mey.) Volk., Macrosuaeda Tsvelev, and Imme rsa Townsend. Types are designated for S. sect. Limbogermen Iljin, S. sect. Salsina Moq., and S. sect. Schoberia (C.A. Mey.) Volk. and for the generic name Schoberia C.A. Mey. Suaeda sect. Platystigma Iljin is placed in synon ymy under S. sect. Suaeda. Delineations of sections largely follow Iljin [1 936. Sovietsk. Bot. 1936(5): 39-49], whose treatment has been generally sup ported by recent data on the distribution of C-3 and C-4 photosynthesis and leaf anatomy in the genus. Sections are delineated by the morphology of th e gynoecium and the seed, by leaf anatomy, as well as by inflorescence type . Descriptions and lists of representative species are given for the nine c urrently accepted sections.