Diversity and distribution of salpichroa (Solanaceae), with emphasis in the peruvian andes

All rights reserved. This study provides information on the diversity and distribution patterns of Salpichroa species along the Andes. We analyzed a database of 855 georeferenced herbarium collections, of a total of 1205 studied specimens, of which 99 % came from Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina. Twenty two species are recognized, of which 19 are found in Peru, the country with the greatest diversity of Salpichroa, compared to Bolivia (8), Ecuador (5), Argentina (4), Chile (3), Colombia (2), Venezuela (2), Uruguay (1), Paraguay (1), and Brazil (1). In general, Salpichroa is distributed between 30° N and 37° S, with the highest species richness between 7° S and 17° S in Peru. Within Peru, the highest concentration of species is found in the department of Cusco. The greatest species diversity is found between 3000-4000 m elevation on both the eastern and western slopes of the Andes. The high diversity of the genus in the Peruvian Andes is likely due to the high environmental heterogeneity and habitat diversity present in the area.