TAXONOMIC NOTES ON VERBENA BONARIENSIS (VERBENACEAE) AND RELATED SPECIES IN THE USA

Verbena bonariensis , as previously recognized in the USA, is here recogn ized to include two distinct species, both native to South America and both widespread in geographic range. Verbena incompta is the more common of the two and is characterized by relatively smaller flowers and eglandular vestiture; V. bonariensis sensu stricto has larger, showy flowers and glandula r stems, peduncles, and calyces. Verbena litoralis has sometimes been recognized to occur in the USA, but such records have proved to be V. brasiliensis and V. montevidensis . Verbena litoralis sensu stricto is native to northwestern South America, Central America, and Mexico, apparently not reaching the USA even as an adventive. Verbena montevidensis is documented to be naturalized in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Oregon, and T exas. Each of these species is distinctive in