A revised circumscription of Gesneria pallida (Gesneriaceae), an eastern cuba endemic historically treated as a synonym of G. reticulata

Recent fieldwork in eastern Cuba led to the rediscovery of Gesneria pallida C.V. Morton ex Borhidi & O. Muñiz (Gesneriaceae). The species is poorly represented in herbaria and has long been treated as a heterotypic synonym of G. reticulata (Griseb.) Urb. This lithophytic taxon is readily distinguished from G. reticulata by its uniformly tubular yellow corollas—an uncommon corolla color within the genus. Gesneria pallida is endemic to the province of Guantánamo in eastern Cuba, where it occurs within the buffer zone of Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt. A preliminary conservation assessment following IUCN Red List criteria supports its classification as DD (data deficient).