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The Cerastium alpinum‐C. arcticum complex (Caryophyllaceae): numerical analyses of morphological variation and a taxonomic revision of C. arcticum Lange s.l.
Author(s) -
Brysting Anne K.,
Elven Reidar
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1223835
Subject(s) - caryophyllaceae , subspecies , biology , taxon , taxonomy (biology) , botany , systematics , zoology
Summary Brysting, A. K. & Elven, R.: The Cerastium alpinum‐C. arcticum complex (Caryophyllaceae): numerical analyses of morphological variation and a taxonomic revision of C. arcticum Lange s.l. – Taxon 49: 189–216. 2000. – ISSN 0040‐0262. Morphological variation of Cerastium alpinum L., C. arcticum Lange, and related taxa was investigated by numerical analyses. The analyses showed that the present division into two species is inappropriate and does not cover the levels of variation within the C. alpinum‐C. arcticum complex. Two alternative models for a new and functional taxonomy of the complex are discussed: (1) that there is one widely defined species, C. alpinum, including several subspecies, (2) alternatively that arctic and non‐arctic populations of what currently is named C. arcticum belong to two different taxa, both distinct from C. alpinum. Our studies indicate the presence of several evolutionary lineages, which are not adequately accounted for by the recognition of a widely circumscribed C. alpinum, and support a subdivision of current C. arcticum into two separate species, C. arcticum Lange s.str. and C. nigrescens (H.C. Watson) Edmondston ex H.C. Watson. A revised taxonomic treatment is presented.