Abstract
In order to evaluate the traditional morphological characters commonly used to distinguish the taxonomically problematic species of Legousia, we carried out a morphometric study with univariate analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis (DA) and cluster analysis (UPGMA). The analyses were based on data from 436 individuals on 207 herbarium specimens from 18 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia representing all recently accepted species of the genus. Legousia falcata was found clearly distinct based on binary characters, L. falcata and L. hybrida were separated using refined binary and continuous characters, whereas L. pentagonia, L. snogerupii and L. speculum-veneris were all mixed in a single cluster, as were L. castellana, L. falcata and L. scabra. In a further refined sampling, L. snogerupii was separated by PCA, DA and UPGMA, but L. pentagonia and L. speculum-veneris were still indistinguishable and formed a single mixed cluster. Based on the results, we propose to reduce L. castellana and L. scabra to synonyms of L. falcata, and L. skvortsovii to a synonym of L. hybrida, while subspecific rank is proposed for L. pentagonia as L. speculum-veneris subsp. pentagonia, comb. & stat. nov. A key and nomenclatural synopsis of accepted taxa is provided and their geographic distribution is outlined.Citation: Wahlsteen E. & Tyler T. 2019: Morphometric analyses and species delimitation in Legousia (Campanulaceae). – Willdenowia 49: 21–33. doi: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.49.49104Version of record first published online on 25 March 2019 ahead of inclusion in April 2019 issue.
Highlights
Legousia Durande is one of 84 genera in the family Campanulaceae (Campanulaceae Working Group 2018)
L. snogerupii and L. speculum-veneris appeared mixed on the negative side of PC2
L. hybrida formed a separate cluster but included some samples of L. pentagonia. Between these rather well-delimited clusters, L. pentagonia formed a cluster including some samples of L. snogerupii and L. speculum-veneris
Summary
Legousia Durande is one of 84 genera in the family Campanulaceae (Campanulaceae Working Group 2018). The genus is distributed in the Old World from Macaronesia in the west to Central Asia in the east and from North Africa to NW and Central Europe. Sales & Hedge (2001) enumerated five species for the Iberian Peninsula, Tutin (1976) five species for all of Europe, while Lammers (2007) and Euro+Med (2006+) accepted seven species in the entire distribution of the genus (Table 1). The latter includes L. perfoliata (L.) Britton, here considered as Campanula perfoliata L. 2017), and to Campanulastrum Small (North America)
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