Two new species of Lessingianthus (Vernonieae, Asteraceae) from the Brazilian highlands

Two additional species of Lessingianthus, L. bakerianus and L. lanuginosus, from the campo cerrado vegetation of central Brazil, are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by the presence of capitula arranged in groups, nine to 12 florets per head, leaves sessile, oblong to ovate leaf blades with the lower surface densely lanate, sparsely villous on the main veins. It has certain resemblance to L. syncephalus (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) H. Rob. and L. brevipetiolatus (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) H. Rob., which present petiolate leaves and leaf blades lanceolate, cuneate or attenuate at the base. L. lanuginosus is superficially similar to L. buddleiifolius (Mart. ex DC.) H. Rob., but differs in having smooth stems, woolly indumentum, smaller heads and the largest leaves disposed at the middle of the stem. (c) 2006 The Linnean Society of London.