The true identity of Nowickea (Phytolaccaceae)

The most recently described genus of Phytolaccaceae is Nowickea , which was proposed in 1989. It is similar to Phytolacca in most features but distinguished by possessing a well-developed gynophore, larger herbaceous tepals that are frequently elongated, and obovoid to obpyriform fruits with narrowly elliptical seeds. The genus contains two endemic Mexican species that were each long known from a single collection made more than 65 years ago. In 2013, we encountered plants of Nowickea hundreds of kilometers from the previous collections. However, whereas most of the branches had the characteristic features of Nowickea , a few branches had flowers and fruits typical of normal Phytolacca icosandra . It had been suggested that Nowickea may be just a “monstrous” Phytolacca . We concur, and as a result Nowickea is reduced to synonymy under Phytolacca , and the species Nowickea glabra and N. xolocotzii are treated as synonyms of P. icosandra .