1,197 plant taxa from North America north of Mexico new to science were published from 1975-1994. This averages about 60 taxa per year (603 full species, with additional subspecies and varieties). States with the highest numbers were
California (106 full species)
Utah (88 full species)
Texas (44 new species, 6 subspecies, and 20 varieties).
“Contrary to recurring perceptions that the flora of North America has been fully explored and catalogued, the rate of ongoing discoveries has remained remarkably constant for much of the last century and shows no evidence of tapering off. … The incompleteness of our floristic knowledge takes on critical significance in an era when decisions are being made that will irrevocably determine the fate of our national floristic heritage. The cost of this ignorance can cut multiple ways, increasing the risk of misplaced mitigation efforts as well as avoidable loss of irreplaceable diversity” (Ertter 2000).
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Hartman, R.L. and B.E. Nelson. 1998. Taxonomic novelties from North America north of Mexico: A 20-year vascular plant diversity baseline. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 67:1–59.
Ertter, B. 2000. Floristic surprises in North America north of Mexico. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 87:81–109.
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Species and Varieties New To Science (1995-present)
40 new species and varieties have been described as new to science in Texas over the last 13 years -- many of these rare and of conservation concern. 14 of the 40 occur within Texas as well as in one or more surrounding states (including Mexico); 27 are endemic to Texas. Ecoregions of the new species are shown below. Three of those mapped in Gulf Prairies and Marshes are mostly restricted to the Carrizo Sands. Only four of those from the Pineywoods region are endemic to Texas.
Species New By Range Extension (1995-present)
These are species with their primary geographic range outside of Texas, recently discovered within the state boundary.
Species New From Previously Unrecognized Names or Recently Rediscovered (1995-present)
These are species (a) previously described as a species or variety but generally unrecognized in published accounts of the Texas flora, usually because the name was considered a synonym of some other species name, (b) previously regarded as extremely rare or even extinct in Texas and recently rediscovered, or (c) previously noted in at least one account to occur in Texas but never documented, first documented here.
Species New By Treatment at Higher Rank (1995-present)
These are species originally described at varietal rank but raised to full species.
