Phytotaxa 612 (3): 251–260 https://www.mapress.com/pt/ Copyright © 2023 Magnolia Press Article PHYTOTAXA ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) Accepted by Nikolay A. Vislobokov: 18 Aug. 2023; published: 6 Sept. 2023 https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.612.3.1 251 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-N.C. 4.0 International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Species delimitation in the Chlorophytum andongense complex MALIN SÆVAREID 1,4 , TOR CARLSEN 1,2,5 , CHRISTOPHER CHAPANO 3,6 & CHARLOTTE SLETTEN BJORÅ 1,7 * 1 Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway 2 The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Middelthuns gate 29, PO Box 5091 Majorstua, NO-0301 Oslo, Norway 3 National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, PO Box CY140, Causeway, Mashonaland East, Harare, Zimbabwe 4 � malinsvareid@gmail.com; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1584-480X 5 � toc@nve.no; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6968-9852 6 � chapanoc@gmail.com; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1932-5505 7 � charlotte.bjora@nhm.uio.no; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5750-0127 *Author for correspondence Abstract Molecular, morphological and chromosome research have identified several subgroups in Chlorophytum. One of the subgroups has been referred to as “The paniculate spongy-rooted group”, where the delimitation of several species have been questioned. To determine if this is a natural group and to clarify taxonomic boundaries between species, molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed based on ITS, rps16 intron, trnL intron, trnL-F spacer, psbA-trnH spacer, and rps12- rpl20 spacer. Chlorophytum hirsutum, hypothesized to be sister to C. andongense, did not resolve within “The paniculate spongy-rooted group”. A closer examination of the roots of C. hirsutum showed they were different from roots of the other members of this group. Two species, C. andongense and C. macrosporum, have been suggested to be conspecific, however, this study found that the taxa were genetically and morphologically distinct. The analyses further revealed considerable genetic variation in the geographically widespread species C. andongense, something that should be studied further. Key words: Anthericaceae, Asparagaceae, Chlorophytum hirsutum, paniculate, phylogeny Introduction Chlorophytum Ker Gawl (1807: 1071) (Asparagaceae) has during the last years been subjected to molecular phylogenetic investigations where several subgroups have been identified (Bjorå 2008, Bjorå et al. 2017). The different subgroups are not only supported by molecular data, but also by morphology and chromosome number. One of the groups has been referred to as “The paniculate spongy-rooted group” here after referred to as “the paniculate group”. “The paniculate group” was first recognized as a natural group and a subdivision of Chlorophytum in Hoell (2005). This was the first molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus, using two DNA regions: nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid trnL- F spacer. All species in this subclade are robust plants with heavily branched inflorescence and thick, spongy roots (Fig. 1A, D). These characters are separately not unique for this group as such, but the two characters in combination are. The species are further characterized by having greenish or whitish urceolate flowers with a green median midrib, large, flat seeds and basic chromosome number x = 8. The species are most often found in woodland to shrubland or in wet grassland. Members of this group from tropical and subtropical Africa includes Chlorophytum andongense Baker (1878: 260), C. hirsutum A.D.Poulsen & Nordal (1999: 941), C. macrosporum Baker (1876: 330), C. pseudocaule Tesfaye & Nordal (2007: 129), C. viridescens Engler (1895: 140), and C. zambiense Bjorå & Nordal (2008: 228). Chlorophytum zambiense differs from the other species in the group by having smaller flowers and ebracteate peduncles (Bjorå et al. 2008). Chlorophytum hirsutum on the other hand, is somewhat deviating by being densely pubescent and having slightly thinner roots with tubers (Poulsen & Nordal 1999). It was referred to C. andongense as sister species when it was described in 1999 by Poulsen & Nordal. Chlorophytum pseudocaule differs from the other species by forming a distinct pseudostem by the leaf bases (Awas & Nordal 2007). Chlorophytum viridescens is less obvious to separate from the rest of the group but is described as often being hysteranthous and having anthers that are twisting after anthesis (Kativu et al. 2008).