Taxonomic and nomenclatural rearrangements in Artemisia subgen. Tridentatae, including a redefinition of Sphaeromeria (Asteraceae, Anthemideae)

Abstract

A recent molecular phylogenetic study of all members of Artemisia subgenus Tridentatae, as well as most of the other New World endemic Artemisia and the allied genera Sphaeromeria and Picrothamnus, raised the necessity of revising the taxonomic framework of the North American endemic Artemisia. Composition of the subgenus Tridentatae is enlarged to accommodate other North American endemics and is organized into 3 sections: Tridentatae, Nebulosae, and Filifoliae. This paper deals with the combination of one section, the amendment of 2 more sections, and the combination in or the reversion to Artemisia of some Sphaeromeria and Picrothamnus species. The new names given for previous Sphaeromeria species are Artemisia macarthurii (for S. argentea), A. albicans (for S. cana), A. constricta (for S. compacta), and A. inaequifolia (for S. diversifolia). The other Sphaeromeria we studied (S. capitata, S. potentilloides, S. ruthiae, and S. simplex) had been formerly considered Artemisia (respectively, A. capitata, A. potentilloides, A. ruthiae, and A. simplex), and their previous nomenclature is therefore recommended.

Citation

Garcia, Sonia; Garnatje, Teresa; McArthur, E. Durant; Pellicer, Jaume; Sanderson, Stewart C.; Valles, Joan. 2011. Taxonomic and nomenclatural rearrangements in Artemisia subgen. Tridentatae, including a redefinition of Sphaeromeria (Asteraceae, Anthemideae). Western North American Naturalist. 71(2): 158-163.