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- Title
A re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of Halophila euphlebia Makino (Hydrocharitaceae) based on morphological features and ITS sequence data.
- Authors
Uchimura, Masayuki; Jean Faye, Etienne; Shimada, Satoshi; Arai, Shogo; Inoue, Tetsunori; Nakamura, Yoshiyuki
- Abstract
Identification of Halophila ovalis samples from various parts of the world has long been accompanied by taxonomic uncertainties because of morphological variability. This led to the hypothesis that H. ovalis represents a “collective species” which may include cryptic species. Recent studies applying molecular techniques to the assessment of phylogenetic relationships in the genus Halophila also came to a similar conclusion. In this study, one Halophila species from Japan, previously described as H. euphlebia and later treated as a synonym of H. ovalis, was critically re-examined using molecular phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Morphological examinations of vegetative and reproductive structures were also undertaken. Results obtained from both morphological and molecular data, combined with a critical review of the relevant literature provide support for recognition of the plant in question as being distinct from H. ovalis. The entity conforms to Makino's description of H. euphlebia. This raises the current number of Halophila species in Japan to three: H. ovalis, H. decipiens and H. euphlebia.
- Subjects
HALOPHILA ovalis; MORPHOLOGY; MOLECULAR diagnosis; PLANT classification
- Publication
Botanica Marina, 2006, Vol 49, Issue 2, p111
- ISSN
0006-8055
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/BOT.2006.015