Species delimitation in the Chlorophytum andongense complex

Abstract

Molecular, morphological and chromosome research have identified several subgroups in Chlorophytum. One of the subgroups has been referred to as “The paniculate spongy-rooted group”, where the delimitation of several species have been questioned. To determine if this is a natural group and to clarify taxonomic boundaries between species, molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed based on ITS, rps16 intron, trnL intron, trnL‑F spacer, psbA-trnH spacer, and rps12-rpl20 spacer. Chlorophytum hirsutum, hypothesized to be sister to C. andongense, did not resolve within “The paniculate spongy-rooted group”. A closer examination of the roots of C. hirsutum showed they were different from roots of the other members of this group. Two species, C. andongense and C. macrosporum, have been suggested to be conspecific, however, this study found that the taxa were genetically and morphologically distinct. The analyses further revealed considerable genetic variation in the geographically widespread species C. andongense, something that should be studied further.