Abstract
Material from the Cyperus appendiculatus group was collected from Ascension Island and compared using a common garden study and to herbarium specimens from throughout the geographical range. Cyperus stroudii is described as a new species, known only from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, it closest relative is C. appendiculatus also native to Ascension Island and Brazil. Cyperus stroudii differs from C. appendiculatus in its dwarf habit and other morphological characteristics, and these characteristics are retained under common environmental conditions indicative of genomic differences.
Highlights
Ascension Island, a UK Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, has a small threatened endemic flora of global conservation importance (Ashmole & Ashmole 2000, Cronk 1980, Cronk 2000, Gray et al 2005, Gray et al 2009), but has long been neglected in terms of scientific efforts
Cyperus appendiculatus is a perennial tussock-forming sedge that is considered to occur on the south Atlantic islands of Ascension, Fernando de Noronha, Martin Vas and Trinidade, and on the coast of mainland Brazil
More recently, C. appendiculatus var. gordonii was synonymised with C. appendiculatus, C. appendiculatus var. atlanticus was recognised at species level as C. atlanticus Ridley and the variety C. appendiculatus. var. noronhae was retained (Govaerts et al 2017) both the latter two are found only on the Brazilian islands
Summary
Ascension Island, a UK Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, has a small threatened endemic flora of global conservation importance (Ashmole & Ashmole 2000, Cronk 1980, Cronk 2000, Gray et al 2005, Gray et al 2009), but has long been neglected in terms of scientific efforts. Occupying 97 km2, Ascension is home to approximately twenty five native vascular plant species (Ashmole & Ashmole 2000, Cronk 2000), ten of which are considered endemic.
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