Taxonomic treatment of Lessingianthus (Asteraceae, Vernonieae) in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

Lessingianthus is one of the largest genera of tribe Vernonieae (Asteraceae). In Brazil, it stands out for its high diversity, with 88 endemic species that occur predominantly in the Cerrado phytophysiognomies. This study aims to provide a taxonomic treatment of the species of Lessingianthus in the state of Bahia, including identification keys, descriptions, taxonomic notes, distribution maps, and illustrative plates. The data was collected in field expeditions to various regions of Bahia and in visits to herbarium collections. The occurrences of twenty-five species were documented for the state, of which six represented new records. All the new records are from the cerrado phytophysiognomy, indicating a high potential for further discoveries of the genus Lessingianthus in yet unexplored areas.