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Australian Systematic Botany Australian Systematic Botany Society
Taxonomy, biogeography and evolution of plants
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Morphological and molecular data reveal three rather than one species of Sicyos (Cucurbitaceae) in Australia, New Zealand and Islands of the South West Pacific

Ian R. H. Telford A D , Patrizia Sebastian B , Peter J. de Lange C , Jeremy J. Bruhl A and Susanne S. Renner B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

B Systematic Botany and Mycology, University of Munich, Menzinger Strasse 67, 80638, Munich, Germany.

C Ecosystems and Species Unit, Department of Conservation, Private Bag 68908, Newton, Auckland 1145, New Zealand.

D Corresponding author. Email: itelford@une.edu.au

Australian Systematic Botany 25(3) 188-201 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB11032
Submitted: 26 August 2011  Accepted: 7 December 2011   Published: 6 June 2012

Abstract

Morphometric data have long suggested the existence of three species of Sicyos in Australia and New Zealand. Molecular data now corroborate this and place the three species in the context of the remaining 72 species of Sicyos, most of them in the New World. We here describe and illustrate Sicyos undara I.Telford & P.Sebastian from northern Queensland and S. mawhai I.Telford & P.Sebastian from New Zealand, and emend the circumscription of S. australis to account for the removal of these two extraneous elements. We also provide a key to the three species, map their ranges, and note their habitat and conservation status.


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