Aim This paper documents reconstructions of the vegetation patterns in Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific (SEAPAC region) in the midHolocene and at the last glacial maximum (LGM).
A morphological data base of 30 characters has been assembled for 33 terminal
taxa in the tribe Styphelieae sensu Powell et al.
(1996), as well as four outgroup taxa representing the other major affinity
groups previously identified within the Epacridaceae on morphological and
molecular data. Heuristic and bootstrap analyses provided strong support for
the tribe, but indicated a need to modify several long-established generic
concepts. Four genera are shown here to be polyphyletic. Six new monotypic
genera should be segregated from Astroloma.
Brachyloma should be divided into three segregates. Two
distinct affinity groups warranting generic status were identified within
Cyathodes. The separation of the monotypic Western
Australian genus, Croninia, from
Leucopogon s.l. is supported, and four other separate
entities are here recognised: four species from section
Heteranthus Benth. should be united with
Lissanthe, and the other three segregates warrant
generic status. In addition, Monotoca is paraphyletic,
and should be redefined to incorporate Oligarrhena,
while a new genus, ‘Pseudactinia’, is required to accommodate two
new species from Western Australia. There seems little justification for
maintaining the distinction between Trochocarpa and
Decatoca. The pattern of intergeneric relationships
resolved suggests that Astroloma s.l.,
Coleanthera, Conostephium,
Croninia, Melichrus,
Styphelia and much of Leucopogon
s.l. constitute an affinity group, and that Brachyloma
s. str. and B. scortechinii are basal within the tribe,
but there is only weak support for these aspects of the topology within the
data.
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