Molecular Phylogenetic Evidence Research Articles

Diversity of <i>Zingiber</i> Mill. (Zingiberaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia Including Short Remarks of an Undescribed Taxon

Zingiber, a notable genus within the Zingiberaceae family, is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia. It encompasses a total of at least 141 species on a global scale, with 25 native species and 30 known taxa identified specifically in Peninsular Malaysia. Of these known taxa, at least 7 are categorised as threatened, 5 are endemic, and the rest remain unassessed regarding their conservation status. This article provides a comprehensive checklist and taxonomic insights for all native Zingiber in Peninsular Malaysia. Remarkably, from the current fieldwork, the discovery of a peculiar Zingiber plant from the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia holds the potential to contribute additional records within this genus. Initially, this species resembles Z. belumense and Z. purpureum in their inflorescence colouration, displaying shades ranging from brownish maroon to dark purple with green bracts, but this newly proposed taxon stands out due to its combination of distinctive traits. An intriguing observation notes the presence of red sap when the leafy shoots were cut and needs further corroboration. This article establishes a provisional taxonomic designation for the newly discovered species, Zingiber sp. (Bahangense130). A comprehensive description supported by robust molecular phylogenetic evidence is currently underway, while brief notes and illustrative images of the proposed taxon are provided within this paper.

Unroughing the cat’s tongue mushrooms: Four new species of Pseudohydnum from Brazil based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence

ABSTRACT Pseudohydnum, commonly known as cat’s tongue mushrooms, is a monophyletic assemblage within Auriculariales, which encompasses species with gelatinous basidiomata, spathulate, flabellate, or shell-shaped pileus, hydnoid hymenophore, globose to ellipsoidal basidiospores, and longitudinally cruciate-septate basidia. According to the available literature, 16 species have been described in Pseudohydnum, mostly represented in temperate-boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. However, the limited morphological, molecular, and ecological information, especially from the Southern Hemisphere ecosystems, does not presently allow a reliable assessment of its taxonomic boundaries nor provide a complete picture of the species diversity in the genus. In an ongoing effort to examine specimens collected in dense and mixed ombrophilous forest fragments (Atlantic Rainforest domain) from Southeastern and Southern Brazil, additional taxa assigned to Pseudohydnum were identified. Four new species are recognized based mostly on characters of the pileus surface, stipe, hymenium, and basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS barcode), partial nuc rDNA 28S, and partial RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) sequences supported the description of these new taxa. Here, we propose Pseudohydnum brasiliense, P. brunneovelutinum, P. cupulisnymphae, and P. viridimontanum as new species. Morphological descriptions, line drawings, habitat photos, and comparisons with closely related taxa are provided. A dichotomous key for identification of currently known Southern Hemisphere Pseudohydnum species is presented.

Generic delimitation of Bolanthus and resurrection of Jordania within Caryophylleae (Caryophyllaceae)

AbstractDespite remarkable progress in taxonomy within Caryophyllaceae and the tribe Caryophylleae gained from molecular phylogenetic evidence, there are some unresolved issues on generic boundaries in this tribe mainly due to poor sampling of some crucial taxa. This study builds upon previous phylogenetic analyses to clarify the generic boundaries of Bolanthus and its associated taxa in Turkey. We used tribe‐wide molecular phylogenies and reviewed the taxonomic history to address the controversies surrounding the classification of Bolanthus. In 2018, a new genus, Graecobolanthus, was proposed for Greek members of Bolanthus, while the monotypic genus Phrynella was synonymized under Bolanthus. Subsequent research suggested that Bolanthus hirsutus, the type of the genus name, aligns with the Greek clade, casting doubt on the validity of Graecobolanthus. Here we suggest the resurrection of the generic name Jordania for the Turkish species of Bolanthus (including Phrynella), with Jordania minuartioides designated as the lectotype. This reclassification aims to resolve the nomenclatural confusion and reflect phylogenetic relationships accurately. According to this concept, the necessary combinations are made.

Heinemannomyces, Hymenagaricus and Xanthagaricus revisited (Basidiomycota, Agaricaceae)

The taxonomy regarding three closely related genera of Agaricaceae, viz. Heinemannomyces, Hymenagaricus and Xanthagaricus, is updated based on morphological and four-locus molecular phylogenetic evidence from collections gathered in South China. Thirteen species identified from 122 collections are described, including Heinemannomyces splendidissimus, eight new species of Xanthagaricus, viz. X. boluoshanensis, X. chamaeleontinus, X. guangzhouensis, X. heinemannii, X. minimus, X. phylononcaeruleus, X. retisporus and X. scauinus, and four known species of Xanthagaricus, viz. X. erinaceus, X. ianthinus, X. necopinatus and X. purpureosquamulosus. Among them, He. splendidissimus is phylogenetically recognized as a Hymenagaricus species, namely Hy. splendidissimus, and Xanthagaricus heinemannii is morphologically similar to Hy. splendidissimus in floccose squamules on the pileus and stipe. Both species have pileus squamules composed of inflated cells in the lower layer and hyphae forming an irregular trichoderm in the upper layer. However, X. heinemannii differs from Hy. splendidissimus by the context not turning reddish after damaged, brownish lamellae, and usually without hymeniform elements in pileus squamules. These findings suggest that species of both Hymenagaricus and Xanthagaricus may present hyphae forming an irregular trichoderm in pileus squamules. Xanthagaricus erinaceus is rediscovered after 40 years, together with X. necopinatus and X. purpureosquamulosus are three newly recorded species in China.

Re-evaluating monotypic Eleutherostylis from New Guinea and the Moluccas and its inclusion in Grewia (Malvaceae, Grewioideae).

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence indicate that Eleutherostylis Burret (Malvaceae, Grewioideae), a monotypic genus described from New Guinea, is best considered a synonym of Grewia L., a species-rich genus widespread across the Paleotropics and found in Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia and the western Pacific. A new combination, based on E.renistipulata Burret, G.renistipulata (Burret) Dorr, comb. nov., is proposed. Original material of the basionym could not be located and a neotype is designated. A lectotype is designated for G.morotaiensis Kosterm., a synonym of G.renistipulata.

Taxonomic novelties and global biogeography of Montagnula (Ascomycota, Didymosphaeriaceae).

Whilst conducting surveys of lignicolous microfungi in Yunnan Province, we collected a large number of taxa that resemble Montagnula (Didymosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales). Our phylogenetic study on Montagnula involved analysing sequence data from ribosomal RNA genes (nc18S, nc28S, ITS) and protein-coding genes (rpb2, tef1-α). We present a biphasic approach (morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence) that supports the recognition of four new species in Montagnula viz., M.lijiangensis, M.menglaensis, M.shangrilana and M.thevetiae. The global diversity of Montagnula is also inferred from metabarcoding data and published records based on field observations. Metabarcoding data from GlobalFungi and field observations provided insights into the global diversity and distribution patterns of Montagnula. Studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America revealed a concentration of Montagnula species, suggesting regional variations in ecological preferences and distribution. Montagnula species were found on various substrates, with sediments yielding a high number of sequences. Poaceae emerged as a significant contributor, indicating a potential association between Montagnula species and grasses. Culture-based investigations from previously published data revealed Montagnula species associations with 105 plant genera (in 45 plant families), across 55 countries, highlighting their wide ecological range and adaptability. This study enhances our understanding of the taxonomy, distribution, and ecological preferences of Montagnula species. It emphasizes their role in the decomposition of organic matter in grasslands and savannah systems and suggests further investigation into their functional roles in ecosystem processes. The global distribution patterns and ecological interactions of Montagnula species underscore the need for continued research and conservation efforts.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic study of the subgenus Tricercandra in the genus Chloranthus</o> (Chloranthaceae)

The genus Chloranthus consists of 17 taxa with the two subgenera Chloranthus and Tricercandra. These two subgenera can be distinguished by the morphology of the androecium. In South Korea, C. japonicus and C. fortunei of the subgenus Tricercandra are distributed. Although C. fortunei is typically not branched, a variant that branches from the stem has recently been discovered. Here, we conducted morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses to elucidate the interspecific relationships within the subgenus Tricercandra and to evaluate the taxonomic position of the variant of C. fortunei. Morphological analyses revealed distinct differences among C. angustifolius, C. japonicus, C. fortunei, and the variant of C. fortunei. However, distinguishing between C. holostegius and C. nervosus was challenging. A principal component analysis also showed that while C. angustifolius, C. japonicus, C. fortunei, and the corresponding variant clustered independently, C. holostegius and C. nervosus overlapped, rendering them indistinguishable. Molecular phylogenetic studies using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) regions and three plastid regions, rbcL, rpl20-rps12, and trnL-F, revealed that the subgenus Tricercandra was monophyletic. Within the subgenus Tricercandra, C. angustifolius formed a sister clade with C. fortunei in the combined three plastid gene tree, while C. japonicus displayed different phylogenetic relationships between the nrITS and plastid gene trees. In addition, neither C. holostegius nor C. nervosus was monophyletic, consistent with the morphological analyses. The variant of C. fortunei formed an independent subclade on the nrITS tree but was not distinguished from other C. fortunei on the plastid gene tree. Our study elucidated clear species delimitation among C. angustifolius, C. japonicus, and C. fortunei and suggested key morphological characters useful for distinguishing them. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the ambiguous species delimitation and phylogenetic uncertainty between C. holostegius and C. nervosus. While we demonstrated morphological differences between the typical C. fortunei and its variant, the limited molecular phylogenetic evidence implies a need for further study.

Mushrooms Adapted to Seawater: Two New Species of Candolleomyces (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) from China.

Marine fungi have been studied for a long history in many realms, but there are few reports on marine mushrooms. In this study, marine fungi with conspicuous subglobose sequestrate basidioma were discovered from mangrove forests in South China. They grow on the deadwood of mangroves in the intertidal zone, periodically submerging into seawater due to the tide. Some marine animals were observed to nest in their basidiomata or consume them as food. The pileus-gleba-inner veil complex (PGI) of the basidioma was observed to be detached from the stipe and transferred into seawater by external forces, and drifting on sea to spread spores after maturity. The detachment mechanism of their PGIs was revealed through detailed microscopic observations. The contrast culturing experiment using freshwater and seawater potato dextrose agar media showed they have probably obligately adapted to the marine environment. Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence, two new species of Candolleomyces (Basidiomycota, Agaricales), namely C. brunneovagabundus and C. albovagabundus, were described. They are similar and close to each other, but can be distinguished by the size and color of the basidioma, and the size of the basidiospores.

Campanula ramosissima subsp. megapetala, a new subspecies of Campanula sect. Decumbentes (Campanulaceae) revealed by morphological and genetic analyses

Campanula hawkinsiana and C. ramosissima are among the poorly investigated Campanula species distributed in the Balkan Peninsula. According to recent phylogenetic studies these species are closely related, and they belong to the section Decumbentes along with the two species from the Iberian Peninsula. However, none of these published studies included a larger number of populations of C. hawkinsiana and C. ramosissima, nor were they studied in detail at the morphological level. During our floristic investigations in the Balkan Peninsula, we observed a great morphological variability within the populations of C. ramosissima. The most morphologically specific and diverse are C. ramosissima populations from Montenegro. Considering all this, in this study, both molecular (AFLP fingerprinting and DNA sequencing) and classical morphometric analyses were applied with the aim to get insight into the genetic diversity and morphological variability of the populations from Montenegro and geographically close populations of both species from the section Decumbentes in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Significant morphological differences and a distinct position based on molecular phylogenetic evidence indicate that the plants from Montenegro should be recognized as a new subspecies, described here as Campanula ramosissima subsp. megapetala subsp. nov.

A NEW BLINDSNAKE SPECIES (SQUAMATA: SCOLECOPHIDIA: TYPHLOPIDAE: Indotyphlops) FROM THE DRY ZONE OF SRI LANKA

Based on both morphological and genetic evidence, we describe a new species of typhlopid snake from the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the first scolecophidian snake species to be described from Sri Lanka for nearly 75 years. Being the ninth member to the genus from the island, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: small body (total length 94–131 mm, snout–vent length 91–128 mm, tail length 2.1–2.8 mm); 20 longitudinal body scale rows; narrow rostral, longer than wide in dorsal aspect (rostral width/rostral length 0.55–0.57), not extending to level of eye; frontal shield extending to upper level of eye; 322–352 middorsal scales (not including intercalary scales); 306–342 midventrals; divided nasal scale; first gland line across head straight, not extending to ocular level; second gland line convex, midpoint reaching midlevel of eye. We have provided molecular phylogenetic evidence to support its distinctiveness from the phenotypically similar I. braminus.

Phylogeny and infrageneric classification of Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae)

Abstract The infrageneric classification of the genus Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae) has been highly problematic due to different concepts and subdivisions being applied to the treatment of Asian, Australian, and African species. Earlier molecular phylogenetic studies based on Sanger sequencing and limited sampling have indicated that previous morphology-based infrageneric classifications are not congruent with the phylogeny due to morphological convergence in many lineages. Advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing provide more information allowing more robust phylogenetic reconstruction at larger scale. We present the first comprehensive phylogenetic study of Clerodendrum that includes representatives of all previously recognized infrageneric taxa and using targeted sequencing data obtained from the Angiosperms353 enrichment to resolve the phylogenetic relationships. In agreement with previous phylogenetic work, our phylogeny shows that Asian and Australian species form a sister clade to an African Clade. Clerodendrum is monophyletic with the exclusion of some tropical coastal species, including some Australian species, which fall within a clade containing Volkameria and New World genera. We recognize two subgenera: subgen. Clerodendrum for Asian and Australian species and the new subgen. Afroclerodendrum for African and Malagasy species. Our findings support an infrageneric classification of Clerodendrum with a total of 13 sections based on molecular phylogenetic evidence and morphology that clearly accommodate the Asian, remaining Australian, and African species. Of these, we propose three new sections: sect. Albiflora, sect. Fortunata and sect. Megaflora for clades presenting unique morphological characters. The sectional classification and taxonomic consequences are discussed.

Phylogeny, ancestral ranges and reclassification of sand dollars

Classification of the Class Echinoidea is under significant revision in light of emerging molecular phylogenetic evidence. In particular, the sister-group relationships within the superorder Luminacea (Echinoidea: Irregularia) have been considerably updated. However, the placement of many families remains largely unresolved due to a series of incongruent evidence obtained from morphological, paleontological, and genetic data for the majority of extant representatives. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships of 25 taxa, belonging to eleven luminacean families. We proposed three new superfamilies: Astriclypeoidea, Mellitoidea, and Taiwanasteroidea (including Dendrasteridae, Taiwanasteridae, Scutellidae, and Echinarachniidae), instead of the currently recognized superfamily Scutelloidea Gray, 1825. In light of the new data obtained from ten additional species, the historical biogeography reconstructed shows that the tropical western Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans are the cradle for early sand dollar diversification. Hothouse conditions during the late Cretaceous and early Paleogene were coupled with diversification events of major clades of sand dollars. We also demonstrate that Taiwan fauna can play a key role in terms of understanding the major Cenozoic migration and dispersal events in the evolutionary history of Luminacea.

Phylogenetic analysis and temporal diversification of the tribe Alsineae (Caryophyllaceae) with the description of three new genera, Hesperostellaria, Reniostellaria and Torreyostellaria.

Alsineae are one of the most taxonomically difficult tribes in Caryophyllaceae and consist of over 500 species distributed in the northern temperate zone. Recent phylogenetic results have improved our understanding on the evolutionary relationships among Alsineae members. Nevertheless, there are still some unresolved taxonomic and phylogenetic problems at the generic level, and the evolutionary history of major clades within the tribe was unexplored to date. In this study, we carried out phylogenetic analyses and divergence time estimation of Alsineae using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and four plastid regions (matK, rbcL, rps16, trnL-F). The present analyses yielded a robustly supported phylogenetic hypothesis of the tribe. Our results showed that the monophyletic Alsineae are strongly supported to be the sister of Arenarieae, and the inter-generic relationships within Alsineae were mostly resolved with strong support. Both molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence supported the Asian species Stellaria bistylata and the two North American species Pseudostellaria jamesiana and Stellaria americana all should be recognized as new monotypic genera respectively, and three new genera Reniostellaria, Torreyostellaria, and Hesperostellaria were thereby proposed here. Additionally, molecular and morphological evidence also supported the proposal of the new combination Schizotechium delavayi. Nineteen genera were accepted within Alsineae and a key to these genera was provided. Molecular dating analysis suggested that Alsineae splitted from its sister tribe at ca. 50.2 million-years ago (Ma) during the early Eocene and began to diverge at ca. 37.9 Ma during the late Eocene, and divergent events within Alsineae occurred mainly since the late Oligocene. Results from the present study provide insights into the historical assembly of herbaceous flora in northern temperate regions.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the Benthic Dinoflagellate Amphidinium from Coastal Waters of Mexico

The genus Amphidinium Clap. & J. Lachm. comprises a high diversity of planktonic and benthic (epiphytic and sand-dwelling) dinoflagellates from marine and freshwater ecosystems. High morphological plasticity and vaguely defined genus characteristics (e.g., a small epicone size) have complicated the clear delineation of species boundaries. Although six Amphidinium morphospecies have been reported from Mexican coastal waters, species identifications are uncertain and not generally supported by molecular phylogenetic data. In this study, seven isolates of Amphidinium from diverse benthic coastal locations on the NE Pacific, Gulf of California, and southern Gulf of Mexico were subjected to critical morphological analysis using photonic and scanning electron microscopy. The phylogenetic reconstruction was based on nuclear-encoded, partial large-subunit (LSU) rDNA and internal transcribed spacer I and II (ITS1 and ITS2) sequences. The revised phylogenetic analysis was consistent with the traditional subdivision of the genus Amphidinium into two sister groups: Herdmanii and Operculatum clades. This study provided the first confirmed records of A. theodorei and A. massartii from coastal waters of Mexico. The molecular phylogenetic evidence indicated that the morphologically described A. cf. carterae from Baja California was in fact more closely allied with A. eilatiensis sequences. A few Amphidinium species are known to form toxigenic (i.e., fish-killing) harmful algal blooms worldwide, and therefore knowledge on species diversity and biogeography is critical in developing effective strategies for evaluating the potential emerging threat in Mexican coastal waters.

Late Cenozoic evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient

AbstractAimThe Late Cenozoic flourishing of polar marine ecosystems, just when temperatures were reaching their lowest levels, has always seemed anomalous. Such an observation is coupled with an increasing volume of molecular phylogenetic evidence to indicate that some polar taxa radiated at exceptionally high evolutionary rates. The canonical latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) may not be underpinned by a parallel gradient in evolutionary rates. This study provides a review of this critical question.LocationA variety of polar – tropical comparisons are made, with some emphasis on the Southern Ocean.TaxaBoth marine and terrestrial taxa are used, with some emphasis on marine Mollusca.MethodsHigh – low latitude comparisons of evolutionary rates over the last 66 Myr are made using two approaches: rates derived from molecular phylogenies, and rates derived from the fossil record. For the former of these data are taken from various marine and terrestrial taxa, and for the latter use is made of the excellent fossil record of marine Mollusca.ResultsFor approximately the first half of the Cenozoic era (i.e., 66 Ma onwards) there is strong palaeontological evidence to suggest that the global LDG developed in a conventional way, with higher rates of origination in the tropics than at the poles. However, there then appears to have been a marked change in the latter half of the Cenozoic when origination rates increased in the high‐latitude and polar regions. The modern latitudinal diversity gradient may be a fossil feature that formed in the Early Cenozoic.Main ConclusionsAs the extra‐tropical regions expanded through the Cenozoic they provided increasingly more ecological opportunities for a wide variety of marine and terrestrial taxa. Substantially lower temperatures in the polar regions were clearly not an obstacle to spectacular evolutionary radiations such as that based on the krill ecosystem.

Molecular evidence for a new lineage within the Acanthamoeba T4 genotype.

Acanthamoeba is a widespread free-living amoeba capable of causing serious infections in humans and other animals, such as amoebic keratitis, disseminated infections, and fatal encephalitis. Strain identification is usually based on 18S rDNA sequencing, which allows the distinction of over twenty genotypes. Most sequences from environmental and clinical samples belong to the T4 genotype, which can be divided into seven subtypes, T4A to T4G, and by a nearly similar grouping of mitochondrial sequences into T4a to T4j subtypes. The co-clustering of nuclear and mitochondrial groups can be very useful for a better identification of lineages within the very rich T4 genotype. In this study, we provided molecular phylogenetic evidence for the delineation of a new nuclear subtype, hereafter labelled T4H, and its co-clustering with the mitochondrial T4j subtype. At least three cases of amoebic keratitis are due to strains belonging to this new group, present mainly in fresh water and detected in various countries (France, Iran, India and China).

The best is yet to come: six new species within a large-bodied earthworm genus (Scherotheca, Lumbricidae) in a densely sampled region (south-western France)

Abstract Since the 18th century, several taxonomists have contributed to knowledge of the French earthworm fauna, one of the best-known earthworm communities in Europe, with 164 species currently described. Surprisingly, new species keep being added constantly, even large ones, which are usually the first to be described. The recent discovery of six undescribed morphospecies of Scherotheca during a sampling survey in southern France suggests that other large Lumbricidae remain to be discovered. We provide here an integrative description of these six species, Scherotheca albina Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov., Scherotheca betharramensis Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov., Scherotheca microthomasi Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov., Scherotheca shaihulud Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov., Scherotheca etcheberryensis Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov. and Scherotheca trezencensis Marchán & Decaëns sp. nov., formally name them and place them in a molecular phylogenetic framework together with their Scherotheca relatives from south-western France. This increases the diversity of Scherotheca to 51 species, including Scherotheca haymozi comb. nov. as a small-sized representative of the genus. The validity of the elevation of several subspecies to specific status was corroborated by molecular phylogenetic evidence, and previously unknown cryptic speciation within Scherotheca was detected. Two geographically coherent clades (roughly matching Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie) correspond to two existing subgenera. The unusually high taxonomic and morphological diversity of Scherotheca within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques may be related to biotic interactions, climatic factors and historical causes. These features highlight the importance of the conservation of these unique earthworm species.

Phylogeny and Systematics of Sassafras (Lauraceae), an Interesting Genus with Disjunct Distributions in Eastern North America and East Asia

The Lauraceae is a family of the order Laurales, with 2500-3000 species comprising 50 genera, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests. Up to two decades ago, the systematic classification of the Lauraceae was based on floral morphology, but molecular phylogenetic approaches have made tremendous advances in elucidating tribe- and genus-level relationships within the family in recent decades. Our review focused on the phylogeny and systematics of Sassafras, a genus of three species with highly disjunct distributions in eastern North America and East Asia, whose tribe affiliation within the Lauraceae has long been controversial. By synthesizing information on the floral biology and molecular phylogeny of Sassafras, this review aimed to explore the position of Sassafras within the Lauraceae, and to provide suggestions and implications for future phylogenetic studies. Our synthesis highlighted Sassafras as a transitional type between Cinnamomeae and Laureae with a closer genetic relationship with Cinnamomeae, as revealed by molecular phylogenetic evidence, while it shares many similar characteristics with Laureae in morphology. We therefore discovered that several molecular and morphological methods should be concurrently considered to illuminate the phylogeny and systematics of Sassafras in Lauraceae.

Resurrection and emended description of Gastrodia foetida (Orchidaceae)

This paper presents a re-evaluation of the taxonomic identity of Gastrodia foetida based on molecular and morphological data. The taxon was described from Iriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and has often been treated as a synonym of G. nipponica from Wakayama Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. In contrast, we showed that the genetic divergence between G. foetida and G. nipponica is much more significant than that between G. foetida and G. takeshimensis. Additionally, G. foetida can be distinguished from G. nipponica by a few morphological traits, particularly a more dilated column toward a little below the middle. Therefore, we propose that G. foetida is recognized as a distinct species based primarily on molecular phylogenetic evidence followed by morphological evidence. Our investigation strongly suggested that these species exhibit distinct geographic separation: G. nipponica is restricted in mainland Japan (north of the Ryukyu Islands), whereas G. foetida is mainly distributed on the more southern areas (the Ryukyu Islands and possibly Taiwan).

Taxonomic notes on New Caledonian Malpighiales: Acridocarpus, Crossostylis, Erythroxylum, and Xylosma

Taxonomic notes are made on the Malpighiales of New Caledonia. The names Acridocarpus austrocaledonicus Baill. (Malpighiaceae), Crossostylis grandiflora Brongn. & Gris, C. multiflora Brongn. & Gris, C. sebertii Pancher ex Brongn. & Gris (Rhizophoraceae), and Erythroxylum novocaledonicum O.E.Schultz (Erythroxylaceae) are lectotypified. Based on published molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence, Lasiochlamys Pax & K.Hoffm. is better treated as a synonym of Xylosma G.Forst. (Salicaceae), and five new combinations and one new name are provided to implement this change.