Noveloa C. T. Philbrick, 2011

Noveloa C. T. Philbrick View in CoL , gen. nov. — TYPE: Oserya coulteriana

Tul., Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. sér. 3, 11: 106. 1849. º Noveloa

coulteriana (Tul.) C. T. Philbrick.

Oseryae simillima, sed foliis dichotomis subdichotomisve divisis, staminibus 1–3, et capsulibus cum costis nonsuturalibus 6 differt.

Annual or perennial, small herbs. Roots elongate, prostrate, flattened. Stems arising laterally along roots, opposite or subopposite, prostrate or upright. Leaves distichous, petiole cylindrical or flattened, winged or wing absent, blade repeatedly dichotomously or subdichotomously divided. Flowers hermaphroditic, zygomorphic, pedicellate, borne singly, axillary, covered by a sac-like spathella. Spathella clavate. Tepals 2–4, scale-like. Stamens 1–3, deciduous, anthers basifixed, dehiscing extrorsely or latrorsely; stamen filaments fused for about half their length. Pollen in monads. Ovary 2-locular, with 2 unequal carpels. Stigmas 2, free or basally fused, conical; ovules numerous, placenta axile. Capsules 2-locular, with 2 unequal valves, one valve sometimes caducous, with 3 nonsuture ribs per valve, suture margins also rib-like. Seeds 0–85 per capsule (mean 32 ± SD 22, n = 55).

Noveloa is differentiated from the related genus Oserya by its dichotomous or subdichotomous leaf divisions (pinnate in Oserya ), three nonsuture ribs per capsule valve (five in Oserya ), and stamens numbering 1–3 (flowers unistaminate in Oserya ).

The name of the genus is in honor of Dr. Alejandro Novelo Retana (1951–2006), who played an important role in advancing the understanding of aquatic angiosperms in Mexico and Neotropical Podostemaceae .