A taxonomic study of the Cape species of Peucedanum (Apioideae, Apiaceae)

Generic circumscriptions within the large polymorphic genus Peucedanum (family Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae) have long been regarded as one of the last major challenges in the taxonomy of the family (Burtt 1991; Pimenov & Leonov 1993). Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the African species of Peucedanum form a distinct clade completely separate from the superficially similar Eurasian species. As a first contribution towards a re-evaluation of generic concepts, all the species occurring within the Cape Floristic Region were revised. A new generic classification system is presented for the 17 species here recognised. The two woody groups are described as two new genera viz. Nanobubon (2 spp.) and Notobubon (12 spp.). The herbaceous genus Cynorhiza is reinstated and expanded to include two additional species, one of which is newly described herein. New combinations for 15 of the 17 species are made and 7 taxa/species are reduced to synonymy. Cladistic analyses of both morphological/anatomical and gene sequence data (ITS) were performed to investigate infra- and inter- generic relationships. Keys, complete nomenclature, typification, descriptions as well as geographical distributions for all of the new genera and species are presented.Prof. B.E. Van Wyk Dr. P. M. Tilne