Morphological and molecular data show an enlarged tropical Australian radiation in Synostemon (Phyllanthaceae, Phyllantheae) previously concealed by heteromorphic species concepts
Ian R. H. Telford
A E , Kanchana Pruesapan B , Peter C. van Welzen C D and Jeremy J. Bruhl A
A Botany and N. C. W. Beadle Herbarium, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Plant Variety Protection Office, Department of Agriculture, 50 Paholyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
C Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany, PO Box 9517, NL-2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands.
D Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, NL-2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands.
E Corresponding author. Email: itelford@une.edu.au
Australian Systematic Botany 32(3) 146-176 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB18029
Submitted: 2 May 2018 Accepted: 19 November 2018 Published: 4 June 2019
Abstract
Sauropus elachophyllus (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Airy Shaw and S. rigidulus (F.Muell. ex Müll.Arg.) Airy Shaw are revised under the reinstated genus Synostemon F.Muell. (Phyllanthaceae) using morphological and nrITS sequence data. Sauropus decrescentifolius J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl and S. elachophyllus are shown to be conspecific as Synostemon elachophyllus (F.Muell. ex Benth.) I.Telford & Pruesapan and S. elachophyllus subsp. decrescentifolius (J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl) I.Telford & Pruesapan, with Synostemon elachophyllus subsp. latior (Airy Shaw) I.Telford & Pruesapan (syn. Sauropus elachophyllus var. glaber Airy Shaw p.p.) raised in rank. The ‘Top End clade’ has morphological synapomorphies of fused staminal filaments and connectives, and linear, longitudinal anthers. Four new species are named: Synostemon cowiei I.Telford & J.J.Bruhl, S. inaequisepalus I.Telford & J.J.Bruhl, S. kakadu I.Telford & J.J.Bruhl and S. nitmiluk I.Telford & J.J.Bruhl and new combinations are provided: S. crassifolius (Müll.Arg.) I.Telford & Pruesapan, S. ditassoides (Müll.Arg.) I.Telford & Pruesapan, S. dunlopii (J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl) I.Telford & Pruesapan, S. filicinus (J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl) I.Telford & Pruesapan, S. gracilis (J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl) I.Telford & Pruesapan, S. rigidulus (F.Muell. ex Müll.Arg.) I.Telford & Pruesapan, and S. stenocladus (S.Moore) I.Telford & Pruesapan, with S. pinifolius (J.T.Hunter & J.J.Bruhl) I.Telford & Pruesapan also raised in rank.
Additional key words: ITS, molecular phylogeny, nrDNA, plant morphology, taxonomy.
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