New species of Manihot (Euphorbiaceae) from Central Brazil

Abstract Studies in herbaria and intensive field work focused on modern taxonomic approaches and phylogeny of the genus Manihot in the Brazilian cerrado enabled the discovery of five new species occurring in cerrado areas from Brazlândia (Distrito Federal) and Padre Bernardo, Água Fria de Goiás, São João D’Aliança and Niquelândia (Goiás). Manihot brasiliana, M. congesta, M. incisa, M. pinatiloba and M. porphyrantha are here described and illustrated. Morphological characteristics of these new taxa, relationships with closely related species, as well as comments on ecological aspects and natural distribution for each species, are provided.