Four New Species of Anisotes (Acanthaceae) from Madagascar

Four species of Anisotes Nees (Acanthaceae) are described from northern and west-central Madagascar: A. hygroscopicus T. F. Daniel, Letsara & Martín-Bravo, A. perplexus T. F. Daniel, Letsara & Martín-Bravo, A. subcoriaceus T. F. Daniel, Letsara & Martín-Bravo, and A. venosus T. F. Daniel, Letsara & Martín-Bravo. A key to the six species of the genus known from Madagascar, all of them endemic to the island, is provided. Morphological features previously unknown in the genus are noted for A. hygroscopicus and A. venosus (hygroscopic trichomes on seeds), A. subcoriaceus (2-colporate, pseudocolpate pollen lacking insulae), and A. perplexus (2-pororate pollen). None of these species can be treated with certainty in any of the currently recognized sections of Anisotes. Data pertinent to the conservation status of each species are provided.