Systematics of Simplicia Kirk (Poaceae, Agrostidinae) - an endemic, threatened New Zealand grass genus.

Colin C Ogle,Rob D Smissen,Peter De Lange,Jeremy R Rolfe

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.75.10328

Abstract

A new species of the New Zealand endemic grass Simplicia, Simplicia felix is described. The new species is segregated from and compared with Simplicia buchananii and Simplicia laxa. Simplicia felix occurs mostly in lightly shaded areas of seasonally dry alluvial forest. A distribution map and an assessment of the conservation status of the new species are presented. Genetic variation in the genus was examined, building on previously published work but including additional sampling. Analysis of nrDNA ITS and ETS and plastid trnL intron and trnL–F intergenic spacer sequences show Simplicia felix to be more closely related to Simplicia laxa than to Simplicia buchananii. NeighborNet analyses of AFLP profiles for the three species of Simplicia show each to consist of distinct clusters of genotypes well separated from each other.

Highlights

During 2005 one of us (Colin Ogle), chanced upon an unremarkable grass growing in an alluvial forest remnant on the margin of a grazed pasture in the Kawhatau Valley Mangaweka, in the Rangitikei District, North Island (Ogle 2010) (Fig. 1)
In all the most parsimonious nrDNA trees S. buchananii and S. laxa sensu lato are recovered as reciprocally monophyletic sister groups which received 99% and 95% bootstrap support respectively
For ease of readability the new name Simplicia felix is used for the North Island/ Ngapara clade in the following Results and Discussion, and the name S. laxa is used for the South Island clade

Summary

Introduction

During 2005 one of us (Colin Ogle), chanced upon an unremarkable grass growing in an alluvial forest remnant on the margin of a grazed pasture in the Kawhatau Valley Mangaweka, in the Rangitikei District, North Island (Ogle 2010) (Fig. 1). Peter J. de Lange et al / PhytoKeys 75: 119–144 (2016). Various colleagues whereupon it was eventually determined as a species of the endemic ditypic New Zealand genus Simplicia Kirk. There the matter would have rested if it were not for the fact that there was no consensus on the identity of the species. The Simplicia had features in common with both S. buchananii (Zotov) Zotov and S. laxa Kirk. Systematics of Simplicia Kirk (Poaceae, Agrostidinae) – an endemic

Methods

Results

Conclusion