Brachyscome Cass. is the second largest Australian genus of Asteraceae, with 87 species (Short 2014). In the 19th century, comprehensive treatments of the genus were provided by Candolle (1836) and Bentham (1867). Davis (1948, 1949a, 1949b) made extensive studies on the taxonomy of Brachyscome and named several new species. Further new species were named by Short (1988, 2009, 2014) and Short & Watanabe (1993).

Short (2014) established numerous informal groups within Brachyscome, one of which is the “Brachyscome multifida group”, comprising B. abercrombiensis P.S.Short, B. dissectifolia G.L.Davis, B. melanocarpa Sond., B. microcarpa F.Muell., B. multifida DC., B. nova-anglica G.L.Davis, B. stuartii Benth., B. tamworthensis P.S.Short and B. trisecta P.S.Short. He described the multifida group as “A poorly circumscribed and artificial grouping primarily distinguished from the B. triloba group by the achenes of most species lacking wing-like extensions on their ab/adaxial margins and usually by lacking longitudinal ridges on the lateral surfaces.”

This paper is concerned with the B. microcarpa ‘complex’ as it was termed by Short (2014) and also B. whitei G.L.Davis. B. microcarpa F.Muell. sens. lat. and B. whitei G.L.Davis sens. str. are unusual in the genus because their uppermost leaves (subtending the peduncles) are in opposite pairs. These species are further recognisable by their conspicuously petiolate lower leaves, a feature not otherwise found in Brachyscome spp. from Queensland or New South Wales.

Short (2014) placed B. whitei in a taxonomic group by itself, far removed from B. microcarpa. The present author considers B. microcarpa and B. whitei to be closely allied, and non-fruiting specimens of these species are quite difficult to distinguish. B. whitei subsp. lophoptera P.S.Short is, however, more readily diagnosed by its alternate upper leaves and the presence of septate eglandular hairs, and it is described here at species rank as B. pedleyi. Other plants formerly included in the circumscription of B. microcarpa are here reinstated (B. discolor C.Stuart ex Benth.) or newly described (B. stenoloba and B. vegrandis).

Six species are recognised and treated here: Brachyscome discolor C.Stuart ex Benth., B. microcarpa F.Muell., B. pedleyi A.R.Bean, B. stenoloba A.R.Bean, B. vegrandis A.R.Bean and B. whitei G.L.Davis.

Open-access, online, rapid taxonomy ISSN: 2653-4649 (Online)

Australian Journal of

Taxonomy

Open-access, online, rapid taxonomy
ISSN: 2653-4649 (Online)