What Is Wrong with Frankenia nodiflora Lam. (Frankeniaceae)? New Insights into the South African Sea-Heaths

Manuel B. Crespo; María Ángeles Alonso; Mario Martínez-Azorín; José Luis Villar; Ladislav Mucina

doi:10.3390/plants12142630

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What Is Wrong with Frankenia nodiflora Lam. (Frankeniaceae)? New Insights into the South African Sea-Heaths

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

What Is Wrong with Frankenia nodiflora Lam. (Frankeniaceae)? New Insights into the South African Sea-Heaths

Manuel B. Crespo, María Ángeles Alonso, Mario Martínez-Azorín, José Luis Villar and Ladislav Mucina

Plants (Basel), Vol.12(14), 2630

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142630

PMID: 37514245

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Abstract

Frankenia

Frankeniaceae

ITS phylogeny

nomenclature

plant endemics

plant morphology

southern African flora

taxonomy

The taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of several southern African perennial taxa related to Frankenia repens are discussed. In particular, F. nodiflora Lam., a misunderstood species described from the Cape region and synonymised to F. pulverulenta, is restored for plants endemic to salt-pans and riverbeds in the coastal lowlands across the Cape Flats (Western Cape province, South Africa). Further, a revision of morphologically close plants, usually identified as F. pulverulenta or F. repens, also occurring in similar saline ecosystems of the inland western South Africa revealed the existence of two distinct new entities not matching any described taxa of the genus. Molecular analyses of nuclear ribosomal (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region) DNA sequence data together with morphological divergence allow recognition of those taxa at species rank, within an independent lineage close to F. repens. In consequence, two new sea-heath species are described in the so-called “F. repens group”: F. nummularia from the Nama-Karoo Biome (Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces), and F. anneliseae from the Succulent Karoo Biome (Northern Cape province). Full morphological description and type designation are reported for each accepted species as well as data on ecology, habitat, distribution, and taxonomic relationships to other close relatives are given. Further, an identification key is presented to facilitate recognition of the southern African taxa of Frankenia.

Details

Title: What Is Wrong with Frankenia nodiflora Lam. (Frankeniaceae)? New Insights into the South African Sea-Heaths
Authors/Creators: Manuel B. Crespo - University of Alicante
María Ángeles Alonso
Mario Martínez-Azorín - University of Alicante
José Luis Villar - University of Alicante
Ladislav Mucina - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Publication Details: Plants (Basel), Vol.12(14), 2630
Publisher: MDPI
Grant note: UAUSTI19-08; UAUSTI21-04; UAUSTI22-05; UADIF21-29; UADIF22-28; VIGROB21-166; VIGROB22-166; ACIE17-01; ACIE18-03; ACIE21-01; ACIE22-01 / Universidad de Alicante 645636 / H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
Identifiers: 991005595769607891
Murdoch Affiliation: Harry Butler Institute
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.64 Phylogenetics & Genomics; 3.64.34 Phylogenetic Relationships
Web Of Science research areas: Plant Sciences
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science