Classification of Primula sect. Auricula (Primulaceae) based on two molecular data sets (ITS, AFLPs), morphology and geographical distribution

On the basis of the study of c . 1100 herbarium specimens, field observations and molecular (ITS, AFLPs) evidence, Primula sect . Auricula is classified into two subsections, 25 species and six subspecies. Primula auricula L. ssp. widmerae (Pax) L. B. Zhang stat. nov. , P. auricula Linn. ssp. tatriaca L. B. Zhang ssp. nov. , and P. latifolia Lapeyr. ssp. cynoglossifolia (Widmer) L. B. Zhang stat. nov. are newly described or combined; P. auricula s.l. is divided into two species: P. auricula Linn. and P. balbisii Lehm., representing the northern and the southern populations of P. auricula s.l. resolved in the molecular study, respectively; P. cottia Widmer and P. balbisii Lehm. are recovered from synonymy; P. grignensis D. M. Moser and P. pedemontana E. Thomas ex. Gaudin ssp. iberica Losa et P. Monts. are synonymized with P. hirsuta All. and P. pedemontana , respectively; P. clusiana is postulated to be an allopolyploid species. Phylogenetic relationships in the section are discussed based on morphological and molecular variation and geographical distribution.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 146 , 1–26.