Taxonomy of the <i>Passerina filiformis</i> complex (Thymelaeaceae)

• Main Authors: C. L. Bredenkamp, A. E. van Wyk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: South African National Biodiversity Institut 2002-09-01
• Series: Bothalia: African Biodiversity & Conservation
• Subjects: anatomy; new species; <i>Passerina</i>. southern Africa; taxonomy. Thymelaeaceae
• Online Access: https://abcjournal.org/index.php/abc/article/view/459

Revision of the genus Passerina L. indicated a new delimitation of taxonomic entities within the Passerina filiformis L. complex. Evidence from leaf anatomy greatly assisted in the recognition of taxa.  P. filiformis is here divided into two sub­species. namely P. filiformis subsp.  filiformis and P. filiformis subsp. glutinosa (Thoday) Bredenkamp & A.E.van Wyk. and a new species. P. montivagus Bredenkamp & A.E.van Wyk, which is also described. The new taxa are geographically separated: subsp. filiformis ranges from Piquetberg in the north through the Cape Peninsula in the south, where it is quite com­mon. to Attaquaskloof in the southwestern Cape: subsp. glutinosa occurs along the coast between Vredendal and St Helena Bay; and  P. montivagus has a wide distribution from Mossel Bay and Oudtshoom in the south through Eastern Cape and along the Great Escarpment northwards to Zimbabwe, with outliers in Tanzania.