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Taxonomy, biogeography and evolution of plants
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 21(4)

In situ morphometric study of the Diuris punctata species complex (Orchidaceae), with implications for conservation

Zoë F. Smith A B D , Elizabeth A. James B and Cassandra B. McLean C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

B National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra, Vic. 3141, Australia.

C School of Resource Management, Faculty of Land and Food Resources, Burnley College, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Vic. 3121, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: zsmith@unimelb.edu.au

Australian Systematic Botany 21(4) 289-300 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB08014
Submitted: 11 March 2008  Accepted: 24 July 2008   Published: 22 October 2008

Abstract

Taxa within the Diuris punctata species complex exhibit high levels of variation at both species and population level. Morphometric data collected in situ were used to investigate species boundaries of four Victorian Diuris species within the Diuris punctata species complex. Morphological characters and taxonomic groups identified in the present study were compared to those described under the current taxonomic treatment. Sixty-five multistate and continuous characters, including seven vegetative and 58 floral characters, were measured in situ across the range of each species within Victoria. The importance of flower colour in distinguishing taxa was highlighted but characters used were generally indiscrete. Certain characters used in current taxonomic descriptions, e.g. floral fragrance, were found to be uninformative. D. fragrantissima was confirmed as a separate taxon within the D. punctata group, justifying its recognition as a unique entity for conservation. Clustering of D. daltonii within D. punctata suggests that the recent elevation of the D. punctata var. daltonii to species level is not justified. The in situ measurement of morphological characters made it possible to incorporate sufficient sampling to encompass intra-specific and intra-population variation and is a feasible method to overcome sampling limitations encountered when herbarium specimens and limited destructive sampling are used.


Acknowledgements

We thank Colin Knight (Melbourne Zoo), Glen Johnson and Andrew Pritchard (Department of Sustainability and Environment), Dr Fiona Coates (Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research), Dave and Lyn Munro, Neil and Judy Anderton, Russell Mawson, Eileen Collins and Anusha Babbar for assistance in the field. We also thank Professor Pauline Ladiges (University of Melbourne) and two anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier draft and Professor Mark McDonnell (University of Melbourne) for assistance with manuscript preparation.


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