ena-STUDY-Swedish Museum of Natural History-07-06-2017-12:39:50:842-701
Phylogeny, species delimitation and revision of gynodioecious Pleioluma (Sapotaceae) in New Caledonia
Pleioluma (Baill.) Baehni is a genus of subfamily Chrysophylloideae (Sapotaceae) and it circumscribes some 40 medium-sized trees and shrubby, many gynodioecious, species in Australia, Malesia, and New Caledonia. Systematics of the group is still poorly understood, but most species in Australia and all in New Caledonia are endemic to respectively territory. Species delimitation in New Caledonia is here explored using multiple accessions of 'species', DNA, morphology, and Bayesian inference. Informative molecular characters are few, but sufficient to support groups or individual species along a polytomy, including the recognition of one new cryptic species. In New Caledonia, Pleioluma is one of four genera in the subfamily and distinguished by areolate higher leaf venation, sepals being pubescent on both surfaces, stamens inserted in or below the middle of the corolla tube, presence of staminodes, foliaceous cotyledons, and endosperm. We accept and revise 17 species, of which six are described as new. The members occur in a wide range of habitats; 12 species are restricted to ultramafic substrates and three show broader edaphic tolerances. We provide an identification key, full description, note on recognition, distribution, etymology, and conservation assessment for each species. The new species P. belepensis Swenson & Munzinger and P. butinii Swenson & Munzinger are rare in nature, restricted in distribution, and in urgent need of protection. They are therefore assigned IUCN preliminary status as Critically Endangered.
Pleioluma (Baill.) Baehni is a genus of subfamily Chrysophylloideae (Sapotaceae) and it circumscribes some 40 medium-sized trees and shrubby, many gynodioecious, species in Australia, Malesia, and New Caledonia. Systematics of the group is still poorly understood, but most species in Australia and all in New Caledonia are endemic to respectively territory. Species delimitation in New Caledonia is here explored using multiple accessions of 'species', DNA, morphology, and Bayesian inference. Informative molecular characters are few, but sufficient to support groups or individual species along a polytomy, including the recognition of one new cryptic species. In New Caledonia, Pleioluma is one of four genera in the subfamily and distinguished by areolate higher leaf venation, sepals being pubescent on both surfaces, stamens inserted in or below the middle of the corolla tube, presence of staminodes, foliaceous cotyledons, and endosperm. We accept and revise 17 species, of which six are described as new. The members occur in a wide range of habitats; 12 species are restricted to ultramafic substrates and three show broader edaphic tolerances. We provide an identification key, full description, note on recognition, distribution, etymology, and conservation assessment for each species. The new species P. belepensis Swenson & Munzinger and P. butinii Swenson & Munzinger are rare in nature, restricted in distribution, and in urgent need of protection. They are therefore assigned IUCN preliminary status as Critically Endangered.