A new species of Echeveria (Crassulaceae) from Durango, Mexico, supported by morphology and DNA diagnostic characters

Echeveria kristenii is described as a new species from Sierra Azul, Mezquital, Durango. The new species belongs to a sub-group of northwestern Mexican taxa within ser. Gibbiflorae. Within the series it is most similar to E. dactylifera and E. novogaliciana in its acaulescent habit, sessile, farinaceous and somewhat narrowed leaves, paniculate inflorescences with short cincinni, and the presence of finger-like appendages at the base of the epipetalous filaments. Characters that distinguish it from those species include the size of the rosette, the shape, color, and size of the leaves, and the color of the styles and nectary scales. Additionally, three diagnostic nucleotide characters were found in rbcL, matK and ITS2, three standard DNA barcoding regions, that differentiate the new species not only from its closest relatives, but from all other taxa of ser. Gibbiflorae.