On the basis of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, the genus Paloue is revised to include the genera Elizabetha and Paloveopsis. As newly circumscribed, Paloue comprises 17 species, 2 subspecies, and 2 varieties. The following 11 new combinations in Paloue are made: P. bicolor (Ducke) Redden, P. coccinea (Schomb. ex Benth.) Redden, P. duckei (Huber) Redden, P. durissima (Ducke) Redden, P. emarginata (R. S. Cowan) Redden, P. fanshawei (R. S. Cowan) Redden, P. leiogyne (R. S. Cowan) Redden, P. macrostachya (Benth.) Redden, P. paraensis (Ducke) Redden, P. princeps (M. R. Schomb. ex Benth.) Redden, P. speciosa (Ducke) Redden; and one new hybrid: P. × grahamiae (R. S. Cowan) Redden. Based on a total evidence phylogeny, the two varieties of Paloue coccinea are no longer recognized, and a lectotype has been designated for Paloue guianensis Aubl. The species of Paloue are small to large woody trees that are distributed in northern South America; most are endemics in the Guiana Shield. All species are taxonomically evaluated and revised based on examination of herbarium specimens, alcohol-preserved floral material, rehydrated reproductive material, laboratory studies, label information, and field observations. All type material was examined either directly or remotely as scanned specimens. All georeferenced material was used to construct the distribution maps; localities without these data were estimated by label locality information, and all were found to occur within the range of the georeferenced species distribution. A key to the species is provided as well as detailed descriptions of all species, subspecies, and varieties. Illustrations are included. A list of all specimens examined is provided for each species, and a list of numbered exsiccatae is also given.
Smithsonian Contributions to Botany, number 109, viii + 44 pages, frontispiece + 30 figures, 2 appendices, 2018.