Abstract
Recent molecular phylogenetic studies and reevaluation of morphological characters have led to the inclusion of Glochidion within a broader delimitation of Phyllanthus. It is necessary for preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands to make new combinations for the Marquesan species. We also provide the relevant combinations and listing of all of the currently accepted species of Phyllanthus on Pacific oceanic islands for a total of 69 native species in oceanic Pacific islands. Glochidion tooviianum J. Florenceis here placed into synonymy of Phyllanthus marchionicus (F. Br.) W. L. Wagner & Lorence based on new assessment of recently collected specimens from Nuku Hiva. Glochidion excorticans Fosberg var. calvum Fosberg is placed into synonomy of Phyllanthus ponapense (Hosokawa) W. L. Wagner & Lorenceand Glochidion puberulum Hosokawa and Glochidion excorticans Fosberg are placed in synonymy of Phyllanthus senyavinianus (Glassman)W. L. Wagner & Lorence based on new study of all Micronesian specimens available to us. No infraspecific taxa are recognized within Phyllanthus pacificus of the Marquesas Islands. Species already with valid names in Phyllanthus are also listed for completeness and convenience. Brief distributional comments are given for each species. We propose new names for species for which a new combination is not possible: Phyllanthus florencei W. L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., Phyllanthus mariannensis W.L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., Phyllanthus otobedii W. L. Wagner & Lorence, Phyllanthus raiateaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, Phyllanthus st-johnii W. L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., and Phyllanthus vitilevuensis W.L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov. We provide information for four additional naturalized species within the region (Phyllanthus amarus, Phyllanthus debilis, Phyllanthus tenellus, and Phyllanthus urinaria). The name Glochidion ramiflorum widely applied to Pacific island populations is here considered to be a species further west in the Pacific with all of the oceanic species here referred to several regional species.
Highlights
Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have greatly advanced the understanding of relationships in the family Phyllanthaceae based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequence data (Wurdack et al 2004; Samuel et al 2005; Kathriarachchi et al 2005, 2006)
These results led the research groups working on Phyllanthaceae (Hoffmann et al 2006; Kathriarachchi et al 2006) to conclude that the embedded genera should be submerged into a broadened Phyllanthus rather than further generic segregation, which would create a series of highly technical genera distinguishable only by specialists
The broadening of Phyllanthus necessitates a considerable number of new combinations, but this seems to be the best approach over the long term in the interest of developing a classification that facilitates understanding of the evolution and relationships in the overall group
Summary
A nomenclator of Pacific oceanic island Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae), including Glochidion.
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