A taxonomic review of the austral genera Asterochaete and Carpha (Cyperaceae, Carpheae)

Abstract

<p>Tribe Carpheae presently includes <i>Carpha</i> and <i>Trianoptiles.</i>. Sixteen species were recovered in <i>Carpha</i> Banks & Sol. ex R.Br. sens. lat. by phenetic analyses and these species were separated into two clades that we recognise here as genera <i>Carpha</i> sens. str. and Asterochaete Nees, on the basis of phylogenetic analyses. We present a new taxonomy for the two genera, including eleven species in <i>Asterochaete</i> (<i>A. acuminata</i> X.F.Zhang, <i>A. angustissima</i> (Cherm.) X.F.Zhang, <i>A. borbonica</i> (Steud.) X.F.Zhang, <i>A. capitellata</i> Nees, <i>A. dactyloides</i> (Vahl) K.L.Wilson & J.J.Bruhl, <i>A. discolor</i> T.H.Arnold ex X.F.Zhang, <i>A. eminii</i> (C.B.Clarke) X.F.Zhang, <i>A. filifolia</i> (C.Reid & T.H.Arnold) X.F.Zhang, <i>A. nitens</i> Kunth, <i>A. schlechteri</i> (C.B.Clarke) X.F.Zhang and <i>A. ulugurensis</i> Nelmes ex X.F.Zhang) and five species in <i>Carpha</i> sens. str. (<i>C. alpina</i> R.Br., <i>C. curvata</i> W.M.Curtis, <i>C. nivicola</i> F.Muell., <i>C. rodwayi</i> W.M.Curtis, and <i>C. schoenoides</i> Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f.), with one unassigned name (<i>Carpha aristata</i> Kük.). <i>Asterochaete acuminata</i>, <i>A. discolor</i> and <i>A. ulugurensis</i> are new species" a new combination, <i>A. dactyloides</i>, is made for what was previously called <i>A. glomerata</i> (Nees) Nees. The ranks of <i>Asterochaete angustissima, Carpha schoenoides</i> and <i>C. nivicola</i> are clarified, whereas <i>Carpha bracteosa</i> C.B.Clarke and <i>C. perrieri</i> Cherm. are synonymised with <i>A. capitellata</i>.</p>