Critoniopsis bogotana (Cuatrec.) H. Rob., Phytologia 46: 439. 1980.

Robinson, Harold & Keeley, Sterling C., 2015, A refined concept of the Critoniopsis bogotana species group in Colombia with two new species (Vernonieae, Asteraceae), PhytoKeys 48, pp. 85-95 : 87-88

Critoniopsis bogotana (Cuatrec.) H. Rob., Phytologia 46: 439. 1980.

Vernonia bogotana Cuatrec., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 77: 65. 1956.

Specimens examined.

COLOMBIA: Cundinamarca: Nacizo de Bogotá, Quebrada del Rozal, Arbol 7 metros; corolla blanca o ligeramento violácea; alt. 3000 m, 29 VI 1939, Cuatrecasas 5696 (holotype US); 11 km from La Calera on road to Chiaci, just before desvio to La Esperanza, along edges of pastures, tree 6-8 m tall; stout. Most in bud, 1 in flower; 3000 m, 29 Dec. 1984, S.C. Keeley with J.E. Keeley & S Diaz P 4538. 4540 (US). Caldas: road from Bogotá to Manizales, 4.4 km W of turnoff to Los Neva dos N.P. Roadside quebradas, at edge of steep embankment previously cut back, large tree, 5-6 m tall, 19 July 1983, S.C. Keeley with J.E. Keeley 4228 (US). Cauca: Coconuco to Paletara, near Parque Paracé, in cut over Chusquea dominated remnant cleared forest; Small tree, 3 m tall, in bud; elev. 3045 m. 17 July 1983, S.C. Keeley with J.E. Keeley 4220, 4221 (US). Nariño: Pasto; a 3 km E de la población de Dolores, alt. 3000 m, 3 Aug 1991, B. Ramirez & J. Cuayal 3964 (COL). COLOMBIA: s. loc.. s. d, Triana 1122 (US).

The species ranges from near Bogotá southwestward to Nariño near the border of Ecuador.

At one time Vernonia calerana Cuatrec. was treated is a synonym of this species, ( Robinson 1993) but differs by the much more numerous florets in the heads.

The much overused name Vernonia pycnantha Benth [ Critoniopsis pynantha (Benth.) H. Rob.] has been applied to this species in the past, but the Bentham species is restricted to southern Ecuador and northern Peru (Haro Carrión & Robinson 2008). Careful examination of a photograph of the type of Critoniopsis pycnantha at Kew shows a tendency for ultimate branches of the inflorescence to be scorpioid- or seriate-cymose, a trait seen only in members of the genus Critoniopsis from southern Ecuador and southward.