Aciphylla Research - a Progress Report
Aciphylla (Apiaceae) is a genus of c. 27 species, found mainly in New Zealand but with two species in Australia. It was last revised completely by Oliver (1956). Aciphylla is an example of a recent species radiation, and as with other such radiations, taxonomically difficult mainly because of geographical variation. Oliver’s revision is inadequate. While Oliver described a number of common species (e.g. Aciphylla aurea) the revision failed to take account of geographic variation; everything was described as a species, whereas in fact a number of widespread species show a lot of variation and are neither sympatric nor separated by any geographical barriers.John Dawson started to revise the genus in the 1970s, publishing an overview of the genus (Dawson and Lecomte 1978), and a revision of the small pinnate species that include Aciphylla monroi (Dawson 1979). John Dawson, now retired, was happy to hand further revision of the genus to me.
The revision of the genus currently underway will be based almost entirely on morphology, but used the results of a DNA-based phylogeny presented by Radcliffe et al. (2001).
I started making collections for the revision in 1998. Progress so far has been:
• New, more adequate collections made, as Aciphylla was not a well-collected group and specimens were often incomplete.
• Data from these fresh specimens has been compiled for analysis and incorporated into descriptions. At least vegetative descriptions for most species are completed.
• Two keys, to fresh and dried material, are done.
• Nearly all types have been examined and the synonymy done, completion pending resolving species complexes.
• Statistical analysis done of the Aciphylla aurea and Aciphylla monroi species complexes.
What remains to be done is analysis of the various species complexes to decide on how best to deal with geographic variation in these. The species complexes that need this kind of analysis are:
• Aciphylla ferox – aurea;
• Aciphylla colensoi – scott-thomsonii;
• Aciphylla hectorii – kirkii – poppelwellii;
• Aciphylla lyallii – montana – monroi – gracilis – similis – lecomtei;
• Aciphylla multisecta – divisa – polita – dissecta;
• Aciphylla squarrosa in the wide sense (including A. glaucescens).
Other species do not need this kind of analysis, only adequate keys and descriptions and up to date distribution and habitat information. Time on this revision for the next 5 years is quite limited as I am involved in co-authoring a New Zealand liverwort flora with John Engel of Field Museum, Chicago, which is being done to a very tight schedule. I intend to publish first a revision of the Aciphylla aurea group of species and of the Aciphylla monroi – multisecta group of species, probably as two papers. For these two groups, what remains to do is preparation of figures from the statistical analyses already done, and illustrations showing variation in leaf morphology. Should you have specimens or require further information we would be interested to know and can be contacted at Allan Herbarium, Landcare Research, Lincoln, P.O. Box 69, ph 03 3256700, email: David Glenny [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]. I have provided a number of Department of Conservation staff with provisional keys to species and descriptions of species, and could provide these to others who need it for their work.
References:
Dawson, J. W. 1979: Aciphylla montana Armstrong, A. lecomtei sp. nov. and related species. New Zealand Journal of Botany 22: 403–411.
Dawson, J. W.; Le Comte, J. R. 1978: Research on Aciphylla – a progress report. Tuatara 23: 49–67.
Oliver, W. R. B. 1956: The genus Aciphylla. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 84: 1–18.
Radcliffe, E. A.; Watson, M. F.; Pr
Posted: 12/06/2006