Background and Aims:

Eugenia inconspicua is a shrub endemic to Sinaloa, Mexico, listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Its only known collection are the type specimens from 1891, without flowers, from an unspecified location in the municipality of Culiacán. In 2023, new populations were found in the vicinity of the city of Culiacán, so here we present its emended description, illustrate it for the first time, and update its known distribution. Additionally, notes on Eugenia species in Sinaloa are presented.

Methods:

Explorations, botanical collections, and field photographs were made from 2023 to 2025. Herbarium specimens were consulted to locate possibly misidentified collections. Based on the located material, the following was done: 1) an updated description of the species, 2) a scientific illustration for the first time, 3) photographic plates, 4) a proposal for an updated conservation status, and 5) an identification key for Eugenia species in Sinaloa.

Key results:

Eugenia inconspicua is endemic to central Sinaloa, growing in volcanic soils with tropical deciduous and thorn forest, and an Extent of Occurrence of 584.042 km2. It is morphologically similar to Eugenia crenularis, from which it differs in the type of indumentum, leaf margin shape, and geographical distribution.

Conclusions:

This research provides certainty about the identity and distribution of Eugenia inconspicua, identifying priority areas for its conservation. Considering the new known distribution, it is proposed to change its conservation status to Endangered (EN). Furthermore, the genus still requires review in Sinaloa; five to seven species are estimated, with two of them endemic (Eugenia inconspicua and Eugenia sinaloae) and two whose presence is debatable (Eugenia crenularis and Eugenia salamensis).

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