Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeogràphy of the genus Oreobolus R.Br. (Cyperaceae), with comments on the biogeography of the South Pacific continents

SEBERG, O., 1988. Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeogràphy of the genus Oreobolus R.Br. (Cyperaceae), with comments on the biogeogràphy of the South Pacific continents. The genus Oreobolus R.Br. (Cyperaceae) is revised. Fourteen species and three subspecies are recognized; two subspecies are described as new, O. obtusangulus subsp. unispicus and O. oxycarpus subsp. brownii; and a new subspecies combination is made, O. pumilio subsp. clemensiae. Comments are given on the classiciation and choice of phylogenetic and biogeographic methods. The sister-group of the genera Oreobolus and Schoenoides (which has recently been segregated from Oreobolus) is a subset of Costularia subgenus Costularia. Oreobolus is hypothesized to be monophyletic, and a phylogenetic hypothesis, based on a parsimony method, is presented. The scale-like tepals of Oreobolus are hypothesized to be apomorphic. Current vicariance biogeographic hypotheses on the relationships of the South Pacific continents are shown to be premature. Brief accounts are given on nomenclature, aspects of morphology, chromosome numbers, geographical distribution, and ecology.