New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Short communication
A new combination for a Coprosma endemic to the serpentinised zone of the Surville Cliffs, North Cape, New Zealand

P. J. de Lange

Science & Research Unit
Department of Conservation
Private Bag 68908
Newton
Auckland, New Zealand

R. C. Gardner
S. D. Wright
S. R. Wichman

School of Biological Sciences
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract   A molecular phylogenetic analysis of New Zealand Coprosma using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS) regions of nrDNA discovered a consistent ITS sequence difference of eight base pairs between multiple samples of the widespread Coprosma obconica subsp. obconica and samples of the North Cape ultramafic endemic subsp. distantia. These DNA sequence results, coupled with those differences already described for both subspecies and the subsequent discovery of significant differences in the pyrene morphology of both subspecies, indicate that C. obconica subsp. distantia should be elevated to species rank. The necessary combination at the rank of species is made in this paper.

Keywords   Rubiaceae; Coprosma distantia; C. obconica; C. obconica subsp. distantia; C. obconica subsp. obconica; pyrene morphology; nrDNA ITS sequences; New Zealand flora

B02002 Received 3 January 2002; accepted 20 May 2002; published 11 September 2002
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2002, Vol. 40: 521-522
0028-825X/02/4003-0521 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002

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