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BIOSYSTEMATIC STUDIES OF THE RUMEX ACETOSELLA‐COMPLEX III. A NOTE ON THE SYNSYSTEMATIC POSITION OF “R. TENUIFOLIUS (WALLR.) LÖVE”
Author(s) -
Den Nijs J. C. M.,
Sangster T. Panhorst Née
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
acta botanica neerlandica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0044-5983
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1980.tb00374.x
Subject(s) - taxon , biology , geography , ecology , botany
SUMMARY A survey is given of some taxonomic aspects of Rumex acetosella L. s.s. and the critical R. tenuifolius (Wallr.) Löve (both in the sense of Löve), and of the status of R. tenuifolius in the syntaxonomic literature pertaining to Northern Germany, The Netherlands, and a part of Central Europe. In several publications this latter taxon is recorded as characteristic of the Class Koelerio‐Corynephoretea (or of some of its subordinate syntaxa). A number of relevés of stands of vegetation belonging to this syntaxonomic Class from the Netherlands and a few from the German Federal Republic are presented in which only hexaploid acetosella occurred. Such specimens may be narrow‐leaved, and although corresponding with the morphological description of R. tenuifolius cannot belong to this tetraploid species. The ecological amplitude of R. acetosella s.s. (with 2n = 42) overlaps that of the tetraploid R. tenuifolius (Wallr.) Löve. Within the R. acetosella aggregate R. tenuifolius is a critical taxon whose morphological and ecological characteristics do not have an adequate diagnostic significance. The conclusion can be drawn, in anticipation of a forthcoming revision, that it is at least in The Netherlands and in Germany not recommendable to credit “ R. tenuifolius ” with any meaningful status in syntaxonomy.