Mucinaea (Hyacinthaceae-Urgineoideae), a Remarkable New Genus from Namaqualand (Northern Cape Province, South Africa)

We here describe a new genus from Namaqualand, which is based on Tenicroa nana Snijman. Mucinaea M. Pinter, Mart.-Azorín, U. Müll.-Doblies, D. Müll.- Doblies, Pfosser & Wetschnig gen. nov. shows several character-states different from all other known species of Tenicroa and a few even do not occur in any other genus of Hyacinthaceae. Mucinaea M. Pinter & al. is easily distinguishable by its purplish-pink tepals bearing a double-eyed green floral marking at their base, surrounded by a white margin, unique within Hyacinthaceae. It also differs by the single sheathing cataphyll without raised transverse ribs, different from the other species of Tenicroa, and by the second sheath consisting of a compound of the bases of about ten foliage leaves, surrounding about ten further free foliage leaves, what is a unique structure in the bulbous world. Mucinaea with Mucinaea nana (Snijman) M. Pinter & al. comb. nova is a monotypic genus, only known from three quarter - degree squares in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. Data on morphology, ecology and distribution are given. Additionally, this separation leads to the monophyly of the genus Tenicroa

A taxonomic revision of Tenicroa (Hyacinthaceae, Urgineoideae) – including four new species and two new combinations

Within the framework of a taxonomic revision of Hyacinthaceae subfamily Urgineoideae (Asparagaceae tribe Urgineeae) combining morphological and genetic data from numerous samples across its whole range of distribution, we here present a taxonomic revision of Tenicroa. Species of Tenicroa have a very intricate history and therefore, unlike many others, they have been placed by time in eight different genera. Tenicroa is characterized by having (mostly) synanthous leaves and sheathing cataphylls with raised darker transversal ridges, diurnal stellate flowers with white tepals having a distinct narrow, reddish-brown or greenish band, subbasifixed anthers, and the ovary elliptic-oblong to oblong, with an elongate, deflexed and often sigmoid style, and a papillate stigma. In this context, we here describe four new species (T. applanata, T. fibrosa, T. namibensis, T. polyantha) and present two new combinations (T. flexuosa, T. unifolia) in this genus. An identification key is provided for the 12 accepted species in the genus.This work was partly supported by the University of Graz (Austria), Fundación Ramón Areces (Spain), H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission, project 645636: ‘Insect-plant relationships: insights into biodiversity and new applications’ (FlyHigh), the grant ACIE18–03, UAUSTI18–02 and UAUSTI19–08 from the University of Alicante (Spain)

Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Urgineoideae (Hyacinthaceae): Toward a coherent generic circumscription informed by molecular, morphological, and distributional data

The taxonomy and systematics of Urgineoideae (Hyacinthaceae) have been controversial in recent decades, with contrasting taxonomic treatments proposed based on preliminary and partial studies that have focused on morphology and/or solely plastid DNA sequence data. Some authors have recognized only two genera, with a very broadly conceived Drimia, while others have accepted several genera that, although better defined morphologically, were doubtfully monophyletic. Here, we present phylogenetic analyses involving four plastid DNA regions (trnL intron, trnL-F spacer, matK, and the trnCGCA-ycf6 intergenic region), a nuclear region (Agt1), and a selection of 40 morphological characters. Our study covers 293 samples and ca. 160 species of Urgineoideae (ca. 80% of its global diversity). Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony analyses were performed to derive the phylogenetic patterns. The combination of data yielded phylogenetic trees with 31 well-defined clades or lineages, most corresponding to previously described genera, although some have required description or revised circumscription. As with other monocot families, a considerable degree of homoplasy was observed in morphological characters, especially in those groups with unspecialized flowers; nonetheless, consistent syndromes of traditional and novel characters are shown to support clade recognition at genus rank. The forthcoming revised classification of Urgineoideae is outlined here.This work was partly supported by H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission, project 645636: ‘Insect-plant relationships: insights into biodiversity and new applications’ (FlyHigh) and the complementary supporting funds UAUSTI17-03, ACIE17-01, UAUSTI2019-008 (University of Alicante, Spain)

New combinations in the tribe Urgineeae (Asparagaceae subfam. Scilloideae) with comments on contrasting taxonomic treatments

As part of a taxonomic revision of tribe Urgineeae, and informed by morphological and phylogenetic evidence obtained in the last decade, we present 17 new combinations in Austronea, Indurgia, Schizobasis, Tenicroa, Thuranthos, Urgineopsis, and Vera-duthiea. These are for taxa recently described in Drimia sensu latissimo or otherwise named during the past century. We include type information for all considered taxa and designate lectotypes for Drimia pauciflora, Urginea salmonea and U. sebirii. We discuss recent analytic and synthetic approaches to taxonomic arrangements for the Urgineeae and reinforce the support of an analytic treatment that recognises several genera characterised by distinct syndromes of morphological characters, biogeography and molecular evidence.This work was partly supported by H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission, project 645636: ‘Insect-plant relationships: insights into the biodiversity and new applications’ (FlyHigh), and the grants ACIE18-03 and UAUSTI18-02 from University of Alicante

Phylogenetics of Hyacinthaceae Based on Plastid DNA Sequences

Volume: 86Start Page: 852End Page: 87