Two new species of vernonieae (asteraceae) from Espirito Santo, southeastern Brazil

Two new species, one Lepidaploa and one Critoniopsis, were found in two diversity hotspots, the municipalities of Santa Teresa and Governador Lindenberg, in the Atlantic Forest, Espirito Santo State, Brazil. Lepidaploa congesta differs from other Brazilian species of the genus by its indumentum, leaf apex, inflorescences, and the apex of involucral bracts. Critoniopsis canaliculata differs from the other Brazilian species of the genus by its habit, branches, phylotaxy, petiole morphology, leaf color, cypselae indumentum, and pappus color. According to an informal assessement performed by applying criteria of the IUCN red list, Critoniopsis canaliculata should be included in the Critically Endangered (CR) category, whereas Lepidaploa congesta is Data Deficient (DD). These discoveries show that the current knowledge on biodiversity in Espirito Santo State still is incipient, even in sites with decades of biological inventories, such as Santa Teresa.