The noble and the exalted: a multidisciplinary approach to resolving a taxonomic controversy within Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae)
Timothy A. Hammer A E , Paul D. Macintyre A , Francis J. Nge B , Robert W. Davis C , Ladislav Mucina A D and Kevin R. Thiele A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
B School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
C Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia.
D Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
E Corresponding author. Email: timothy.hammer@research.uwa.edu.au
Australian Systematic Botany 31(3) 262-280 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB17062
Submitted: 12 December 2017 Accepted: 21 June 2018 Published: 17 July 2018
Abstract
A molecular study on Ptilotus nobilis (Lindl.) F.Muell. var. nobilis and P. exaltatus Nees var. exaltatus led to the conclusion that these taxa are conspecific, resulting in the synonymisation of the latter under the former as P. nobilis subsp. nobilis. In this study, we test previous taxonomic concepts in the P. nobilis–P. exaltatus species group by examining (1) the morphology of specimens in the herbarium and field, and (2) ecological and geographic partitioning of two widespread and broadly sympatric taxa in the group, using Maxent and CART models. We provide strong evidence supporting the reinstatement of P. exaltatus as distinct from P. nobilis, on the basis of multiple morphological characters and strong ecological and geographic partitioning, the latter showing how large-scale ecological data can be used to help resolve taxonomic issues. In addition, we raise P. nobilis subsp. angustifolius (Benl) Lally & W.R.Barker to the rank of species as P. angustifolius (Benl) T.Hammer and reinstate P. semilanatus (Lindl.) F.Muell. ex J.M.Black.
Additional keywords: Australia, biogeography, ecology, taxonomy, typification.
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