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Combining ecological and morphometrical approaches to increase the resolution within the Galactia neesii (Leguminosae) complex

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Abstract

The objective of this paper is to resolve the taxonomic complex formed by G. neesii, G. martii, their infraspecific taxa, and other similar species, totaling eight names. This group grows from southern Uruguay to northeastern Brazil, and the morphology of individuals gradually changes along this latitudinal gradient, making it possible to identify many morphotypes that have been assigned by previous authors either as species or varieties. We combined ecological and morphometrical approaches to increase the resolution within this complex. We used two techniques of cluster analysis within the ecological data to find the correct number of clusters in the data set. The significant groups found by cluster analysis were then tested a posteriori with a permuted MANOVA to discover congruent morphological groups. Our results showed that from the eight previously hypothesized groups, only two were both ecologically and morphologically significant and could represent separately evolving lineages. The necessary nomenclatural changes as well as a short taxonomic description of the taxa are provided in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Rodrigo B. Singer and Maria de Lourdes A.A. de Oliveira for critical reading and helpful comments and suggestions. We are also indebted to Eduardo L.H. Giehl for his help with some R codes. This paper is part of the PhD thesis of Guilherme B. Ceolin, who was partially supported by a post-graduate grant from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). Sílvia T.S. Miotto is supported by a grant (PQ1C) from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Herbário HURG, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Av. Itália, km-8, Campus Carreiros, CEP 96201-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Guilherme B. Ceolin

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Guilherme B. Ceolin

  3. Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Sílvia T. S. Miotto

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  1. Guilherme B. Ceolin
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Correspondence to Guilherme B. Ceolin.

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Ceolin, G.B., Miotto, S.T.S. Combining ecological and morphometrical approaches to increase the resolution within the Galactia neesii (Leguminosae) complex. Plant Syst Evol 298, 645–652 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0573-5

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