A taxonomic revision of Polygala L. in northern Australia

This research documents twenty six new species and four new varieties of Polygala L. in Australia. Polygala diversity across Northern Australia is sampled and taxonomic diversity is assessed using taxonomically informative morphological characters to diagnose phylogenetic species. Morphological characters are compared using alpha-taxonomic techniques and multi-variate analyses.\ud \ud A treatment of Australian material including descriptions and a key to species are provided. This treatment is now the most recent treatment for Polygala in Australia and clarifies the misapplication of names to Australian taxa in the literature. Nomenclatural problems with Polygala triflora L., Polygala glaucoides L., Polygala linariifolia Willd., Polygala. chinensis L. and Polygala polifolia Presl., irresolvable in the absence of a monograph, are summarised.\ud \ud Other findings include the provision of a suite of putative phylogenetically informative characters for use in future phylogenetic investigations. An overview of Polygala taxonomy is given and issues regarding phylogeny and the inadequacy of current treatments and classifications are discussed. The need for a monograph of this group is highlighted. While species epithets and latin diagnoses for new species are provided it is not the intention of the author that this document represent the valid publication of new names