What species of Conyza (Erigeron) occur in Australia?
Several species of the genus Erigeron (Asteraceae) have established as weeds in Australia, some of them becoming invasive. Uncertainty remains about the identity and taxonomy of some species formerly placed in Conyza: Erigeron bilbaoanus, E. bonariensis, E. canadensis, E. pusillus (aka C. parva), and E. sumatrensis. Whereas Australian floras and checklists recognise Erigeron bilbaoanus, taxonomists in other countries consider the name a synonym of Erigeron floribundus. Whereas the Australian Plant Census (and the Flora of North America) treat Erigeron pusillus as a synonym of Erigeron canadensis, some Australian state and territory checklists recognise it as a distinct species. We use target capture data generated with the Angiosperms 353 bait kit to infer species limits and the genetic relatedness of lineages in Conyza introduced to Australia. Results indicate that Erigeron pusillus and Erigeron canadensis in Australia are more genetically differentiated than the other, related, and widely accepted species of the genus and should therefore likewise be accepted as distinct at the species level. The species currently recognised as Erigeron bilbaoanus in Australia matches the lectotype of Conyza floribunda, and Australian taxonomy should be updated accordingly. At least in Australia, Erigeron floribundus shows the largest degree of genetic admixture of the five study species, with most of the admixed ancestry derived from Erigeron sumatrensis. To support accurate identification and further research, we provide an updated identification key to Erigeron of Australia.