Sedum formosanum subsp. miyakojimense (Crassulaceae), a new subspecies from Miyako-jima Island of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

By

Ito, Takuro
Yu, Chih-Chieh
Yokota, Masatsugu
Kokubugata, Goro

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

148

Pages

51--70

Subjects

Miyako Islands , Phylogeny , stone crop , Succulent plants , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.148.48957

 

Abstract

We re-examined the taxonomic status of plants treated as Sedum formosanum (Crassulaceae) from Miyako-jima Island of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, using morphological comparison and molecular phylogenetic analyses with related species. In morphology, plants from Miyako-jima Island bore a close resemblance to the other plants of S. formosanum, but differed in being perennial, polycarpic, and having lateral axillary branches. Molecular analyses based on ITS of nrDNA and six regions of cpDNA sequencing indicated that the Miyako-jima plants formed a distinct subclade. This subclade was part of a polytomy with three other subclades comprising nine taxa endemic to Taiwan and S. formosanum from other areas, including the type locality. Therefore, we propose and describe the Miyako-jima plants as a new subspecies, Sedum formosanum subsp. miyakojimense.