New Synonyms and Recircumscription of Terminalia sect. Diptera (Combretaceae) from South America

In this manuscript three taxonomic changes are proposed based on multivariate and univariate analyses of morphological characters from collections of Terminalia in the Neotropics. Sixty-six morphological characters were examined from Terminalia reitzii, T. triflora, and T. uleana, of which only 12 were considered informative for morphometric evaluation and analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test and principal components analysis. As a result, T. reitzii and T. uleana are synonymized under T. triflora, and we propose a new circumscription for T. sect. Diptera. In addition, morphological, distribution and conservation aspects of T. triflora are discussed. A key to the South American species of T. sect. Diptera is presented.