Endemic Amorphophallus (Araceae) from Madagascar: a revised key, a new species and molecular phylogeny

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2014
Authors:Hetterscheid, W. L. A., Claudel C.
Journal:Botanical Studies (Taipei)
Volume:55
Issue:2
Start Page:1
Pagination:11
Date Published:01/2014
Keywords:Amorphophallus hildebrandtii; Amorphophallus perrieri; Amorphophallus; Araceae; Endemic; Madagascar; New species; Phylogeny
Abstract:

Background: Since the revision of Amorphophallus of Madagascar (Bot Jahrb Syst 121(1):1–17, 1999) several additional new species have been described. The recent discovery of another new species promted the preparation of a revised key as well as the description of the new species. Amorphophallus hildebrandtii, never restudied since its analysis by Engler in 1881, has been refound and restudied. Meanwhile molecular phylogenetic studies have provided new insights in the relationships of the endemic Madagascan species.
Results: The new species Amorphophallus perrieri is described. A new revised key to the endemic Amorphophallus species of Madagascar is provided. An emended description of A. hildebrandtii is provided. A molecular phylogeny of the endemic Madagascan species of Amorphophallus is provided.
Conlusions: The enigmatic character of a very short spadix in A. hildebrandtii has been confirmed, after it was thought for many years that it was artificially shorter in the holotype specimen than in nature. This was suggested by the fact that the spadix of the holotype is broken. The monophyletic character of the Madagascan endemic species clade remained unchallenged after analysis including all new species discovered recently, incl. the new species presented in this paper.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith