Systematics in the 'Bulbine glauca' complex (Asphodelaceae or Xanthorrhoeaceae subfam. Asphodeloideae)

Abstract

'Bulbine glauca' (Raf.) E.M.Watson, as currently applied, is a perennial herb disjunctly distributed in south-eastern Australia. The scale of these disjunctions together with apparently covarying morphological variation present among populations within 'B. glauca' suggested a complex in need of testing. Putative species limits within the complex were tested by phenetic analysis, using UPGMA clustering and semi-strong hybrid MDS ordination of 75 living samples, 11 herbarium samples and 72 characters. According to morphology, six species were recognised.