Lotus roudairei Bonnet and taxonomic relationships between African and North American species of the tribe Loteae (Papilionaceae)

A comparative analysis of morphological features in NW African Lotus roudairei, N American Lotus sect. Simpeteria, and American Lotus sect. Microlotus (= gen. Acmispon s. str.) was carried out. According to the data obtained, these three taxa seemed not to form the distinct genus or subgenus Acmispon sensu P. Lassen (1986). A new section Pseudosimpeteria with a single species, L. roudairei, is described within the Old World Lotus subgen. Lotus. The relationships between Old World and New World Loteae are briefly discussed.