A new species of Homoranthus (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae) in the New England Tableland Bioregion of Eastern Australia

Peter J. Pemberton; Eilish S. McMaster; Jeremy J. Bruhl; Adam Fawcett; John T. Hunter; Manu E. Saunders; Elizabeth M. Wandrag; JiaYee Samantha Yap; Ian R.H. Telford; Maurizio Rossetto; Rose L. Andrew

doi:10.7751/telopea21740

Authors

Peter J. Pemberton University of New England https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3696-551X
Eilish S. McMaster Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Botanic Gardens of Sydney https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7415-8690
Jeremy J. Bruhl University of New England https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9112-4436
Adam Fawcett New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7892-3708
John T. Hunter University of New England https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5112-0465
Manu E. Saunders University of New England https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0645-8277
Elizabeth M. Wandrag University of Tasmania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8140-539X
JiaYee Samantha Yap University of Sydney https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9141-6006
Ian R.H. Telford University of New England https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3570-0053
Maurizio Rossetto Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Botanic Gardens of Sydney https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4878-9114
Rose L. Andrew University of New England https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0099-8336

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7751/telopea21740

Keywords:

New England Tableland bioregion, Conservation assessment, Morphological and molecular assessments, Homoranthus lunatus, Homoranthus wissmannii

Abstract

The genus Homoranthus A.Cunn. ex Schauer currently includes 31 endemic species in eastern and southern Australia. In a c. 400,000-hectare section of the New England Tableland bioregion, there are seven rare described species of Homoranthus endemic to granite outcrops, six of which are each found only in a single small, isolated distribution. The exception, Homoranthus lunatus Craven & S.R. Jones has populations 70 km apart and broadly spans the range of the other species. Genetic analysis of the seven Homoranthus species in the region revealed a phylogenetically distinct lineage indicative of an eighth, undescribed taxon. Morphological assessment of H. lunatus has led to the formal recognition and conservation assessment of H. wissmannii Pemberton & McMaster (Myrtaceae), with a revised assessment for H. lunatus.

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