NUEVA CITA DE MECARDONIA RENEEAE (GRATIOLEAE-PLANTAGINACEAE) EN PARAGUAY.

Mecardonia reneeae (Gratioleae, Plantaginaceae) is recorded for the first time for the Paraguayan flora, found in Humid Chaco and Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregions from the departments of Alto Paraguay, Asunción, Boquerón, Guairá and Presidente Hayes. This new record expands the species distribution area, representing its northernmost distributional site, as it was previously considered endemic only to northeastern Argentina. A short morphological description of the species, a distribution map, and a sheet of herbarium specimen photos are provided. Additionally, an identification key for the Mecardonia taxa present in Paraguay is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]