VernoniasubgenusAustrovernonia, a new subgenus from South America (Compositae, Vernonieae, Vernoniinae).

Less. and Less. are two semi-aquatic species from southern South American that are referred to as "the semi-aquatic of South America" and they have been, until now, retained as members of mostly because each had some unusual characters that made them hard to place. Based on an ongoing molecular study, we can now say that is the sister taxon to all true and can therefore be responsibly left in but, because of its morphological and geographic differences, it is now assigned to its own subgenus: subg. is not closely related to and is now part of a separate investigation. This placement of as sister to the true species brings up the possibility of a South American root for the clade and perhaps indicates a propensity in the lineage for growing in or near water. The species is lectotypified.