Morphological and molecular evidence support elevating Erythroxylum macrophyllum var. savannarum (Erythroxylaceae) to specific status

<p><em>Erythroxylum macrophyllum</em> is a morphologically variable and widely distributed species complex in Central and South America with several sub-specific taxa and numerous species included in its synonymy. A single variety grows in the Colombo-Venezuelan savanna region which can be distinguished from the rest of the <em>E. macrophyllum</em> complex by the size of leaves, cataphyll and stipule characteristics, and shape of calyx lobes. A molecular phylogeny reconstructed from 519 nuclear genes also reveals that the savanna variety is more closely related to <em>E. acuminatum </em>and <em>E. pauciflorum</em> than <em>E. macrophyllum</em>. This phylogenomic evidence also suggests <em>Erythroxylum </em>sect. <em>Macrocalyx</em>, to which <em>E. macrophyllum</em> belongs, is a polyphyletic taxonomic section. We thus propose elevating this variety to specific status. We provide an updated taxonomic description, information about its habitat and distribution, and justify its IUCN categorization of Near Threatened (NT).</p>