title: A new molecular phylogeny of the Laurencia complex (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae) and a review of key morphological characters result in a new genus, Coronaphycus, and a description of C. novus.
abstract: Within the Laurencia complex (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae), six genera have been recognized based on both molecular analyses and morphology: Laurencia, Osmundea, Chondrophycus, Palisada, Yuzurua, and Laurenciella. Recently, new material from Australia has been collected and included in the current molecular phylogeny, resulting in a new clade. This study examined the generic delineations using a combination of morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast (rbcL) nucleotide sequence. The molecular phylogeny recovered eight (rather than six) clades; Yuzurua, Laurenciella, Palisada, and Chondrophycus showed as monophyletic clades each with strong support. However, the genera Osmundea and Laurencia were polyphyletic. Consequently, the new genus Coronaphycus is proposed, resulting in the new combination Coronaphycus elatus and a description of the new species C. novus.
authors.affiliation: National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.|Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Yola
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Metti
authors.affiliation: National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan J K
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.|Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, New South Wales, 2088, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steinberg
keywords: Chondrophycus; Coronaphycus; Kangjaewonia; Laurencia; Laurenciella; Osmundea; Palisada; Yuzurua; rbcL