Systematics of Simplicia Kirk (Poaceae, Agrostidinae) – an endemic, threatened New Zealand grass genus

A new species of the New Zealand endemic grass Simplicia, S. felix is described. The new species is segregated from and compared with S. buchananii and S. laxa. Simplicia felix occurs mostly in lightly shaded areas of seasonally dry alluvial forest. A distribution map and an assess...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Peter de Lange, Rob D. Smissen, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Colin C. Ogle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2016-12-01
Series:PhytoKeys
Online Access:http://phytokeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=10328
Description
Summary:A new species of the New Zealand endemic grass Simplicia, S. felix is described. The new species is segregated from and compared with S. buchananii and S. laxa. Simplicia felix occurs mostly in lightly shaded areas of seasonally dry alluvial forest. A distribution map and an assessment of the conservation status of the new species are presented. Genetic variation in the genus was examined, building on previously published work but including additional sampling. Analysis of nrDNA ITS and ETS and plastid trnL intron and trnL–F intergenic spacer sequences show S. felix to be more closely related to S. laxa than to S. buchananii. NeighborNet analyses of AFLP profiles for the three species of Simplicia show each to consist of distinct clusters of genotypes well separated from each other.
ISSN:1314-2011
1314-2003