Morphological and molecular evidence gives insight into the taxonomic position of Peucedanum pubescens (Apiaceae, Selineae)

Abstract

In this study, morphological and molecular evidences were combined to determine the taxonomic position of Peucedanum pubescens Hand.-Mazz. Morphologically, Peucedanum pubescens is similar to the species of the genus Ligusticopsis in having fibrous remnant sheaths at the stem base, pinnate and linear coexisted bracts, strongly compressed dorsally mericarps, filiform median and lateral ribs, winged marginal ribs, numerous vittae in each furrow and commissure, but can also be easily distinguished from members of Ligusticopsis by its hispid fruit and linear-lanceolate bracteoles. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the single-copy protein-coding sequences (CDS) of plastomes and internal transcribed space (ITS) region showed that Peucedanum pubescens nested in the genus Ligusticopsis. As both morphological and molecular data supported the inclusion of Peucedanum pubescens within Ligusticopsis, the species is here transferred and the new combination, Ligusticopsis pubescens (Hand.-Mazz.) J.J.Deng, C.K.Liu & X.J.He, made.