Maurizio Rossetto

Chromosome-level de novo genome assembly of Telopea speciosissima (New South Wales waratah) using long-reads, linked-reads and Hi-C

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Date: 02-06-2021

DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.02.444084

Abstract: Telopea speciosissima, the New South Wales waratah, is an Australian endemic woody shrub in the family Proteaceae. Waratahs have great potential as a model clade to better understand processes of speciation, introgression and adaptation, and are significant from a horticultural perspective. Here, we report the first chromosome-level genome for T. speciosissima . Combining Oxford Nanopore long-reads, 10x Genomics Chromium linked-reads and Hi-C data, the assembly spans 823 Mb (scaffold N50 of 69.0 Mb) with 97.8 % of Embryophyta BUSCOs complete. We present a new method in Diploidocus ( limsuite/diploidocus ) for classifying, curating and QC-filtering scaffolds, which combines read depths, k-mer frequencies and BUSCO predictions. We also present a new tool, DepthSizer ( limsuite/depthsizer ), for genome size estimation from the read depth of single copy orthologues and estimate the genome size to be approximately 900 Mb. The largest 11 scaffolds contained 94.1 % of the assembly, conforming to the expected number of chromosomes (2 n = 22). Genome annotation predicted 40,158 protein-coding genes, 351 rRNAs and 728 tRNAs. We investigated CYCLOIDEA ( CYC ) genes, which have a role in determination of floral symmetry, and confirm the presence of two copies in the genome. Read depth analysis of 180 ‘Duplicated’ BUSCO genes suggest almost all are real duplications, increasing confidence in protein family analysis using annotated protein-coding genes, and highlighting a possible need to revise the BUSCO set for this lineage. The chromosome-level T. speciosissima reference genome (Tspe_v1) provides an important new genomic resource of Proteaceae to support the conservation of flora in Australia and further afield.

Restore and Renew

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 25-11-2019

DOI: 10.1111/REC.12898

Assemblage accumulation curves: A framework for resolving species accumulation in biological communities using DNA sequences

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 18-04-2019

DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.13181

Evolutionary processes in an undescribed eucalypt: implications for the translocation of a critically endangered species

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 08-07-2022

DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCAC091

Abstract: Knowledge of the evolutionary processes responsible for the distribution of threatened and highly localized species is important for their conservation. Population genomics can provide insights into evolutionary processes to inform management practices, including the translocation of threatened plant species. In this study, we focus on a critically endangered eucalypt, Eucalyptus sp. Cattai, which is restricted to a 40-km2 area of Sydney, Australia, and is threatened by increased urbanization. Eucalyptus sp. Cattai has yet to be formally described in part due to its suspected hybrid origin. Here, we examined evolutionary processes and species boundaries in E. sp. Cattai to determine whether translocation was warranted. We used genome-wide scans to investigate the evolutionary relationships of E. sp. Cattai with related species, and to assess levels of genetic health and admixture. Morphological trait and genomic data were obtained from seedlings of E. sp. Cattai propagated in a common garden to assess their genetic provenance and hybrid status. All analyses revealed that E. sp. Cattai was strongly supported as a distinct species. Genetic ersity varied across populations, and clonality was unexpectedly high. Interspecific hybridization was detected, and was more prevalent in seedlings compared to in situ adult plants, indicating that post-zygotic barriers may restrict the establishment of hybrids. Multiple evolutionary processes (e.g. hybridization and clonality) can operate within one rare and restricted species. Insights regarding evolutionary processes from our study were used to assist with the translocation of genetically ‘pure’ and healthy ex situ seedlings to nearby suitable habitat. Our findings demonstrate that it is vital to provide an understanding of evolutionary relationships and processes with an examination of population genomics in the design and implementation of an effective translocation strategy.

What is measured by the composite, single-item pain/discomfort dimension of the EQ-5D-5L? An exploratory analysis

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 05-12-2022

DOI: 10.1007/S11136-022-03312-X

From Songlines to genomes: Prehistoric assisted migration of a rain forest tree by Australian Aboriginal people

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 08-11-2017

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0186663

Variation in Leaf Functional and Plant Defense Traits of Introduced Eucalyptus Species across Environmental Gradients in Their New Range in Southern China

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 02-05-2023

DOI: 10.3390/F14050936

Abstract: Due to the rapid development of China’s economy, the demand for wood is steadily increasing. Eucalyptus species have been introduced in large quantities because of their fast growth, strong adaptability, and wide utility. To understand the phenological changes in introduced Eucalyptus in its new range, we carried out a field investigation to examine leaf functional and chemical defense traits of three introduced species (E. saligna, E. grandis and E. robusta) over latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in southern China. We s led multiple stands of each species, and measured the leaf physical characteristics (e.g., leaf width, leaf thickness, and specific leaf area [SLA]), leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content, and phenolic compounds. We found that many functional traits (e.g., leaf size and thickness) decreased at lower latitudes, especially in E. grandis, possibly to reduce heat and water loss under higher temperatures. In E. grandis, we found that leaf P was lower at higher latitudes and altitude, and phenolics increased with elevation, while in E. robusta, both leaf N and P decreased with altitude. These findings suggested that both species were more conservative in resource allocation, with E. grandis possessing enhanced chemical defenses in response to the conditions experienced at higher elevations. In addition, we found the tree populations at the northern range limit of E. robusta had lower SLA, suggesting a more conservative growth strategy, In contrast, small populations in the northern part of the ranges of E. grandis had higher SLA, indicating range expansion at the edge of the species’ geographic distribution. Overall, it is particularly important to consider intraspecific trait differences across wide geographic areas when studying the spread of invasive species in the new range.

Ecology and Conservation of a Living Fossil: Australia's Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis)

Publisher: Elsevier

Date: 2021

DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-821139-7.00188-4

Molecular phylogeography reveals two geographically and temporally separated floristic exchange tracks between Southeast Asia and northern Australia

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 28-02-2021

DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14072

Biotic exchange leaves detectable genomic patterns in the Australian rain forest flora

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 29-03-2020

DOI: 10.1111/BTP.12776

Chromosome‐level de novo genome assembly of Telopea speciosissima (New South Wales waratah) using long‐reads, linked‐reads and Hi‐C

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 11-01-2022

DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13574

Abstract: Telopea speciosissima , the New South Wales waratah, is an Australian endemic woody shrub in the family Proteaceae. Waratahs have great potential as a model clade to better understand processes of speciation, introgression and adaptation, and are significant from a horticultural perspective. Here, we report the first chromosome‐level genome for T . speciosissima . Combining Oxford Nanopore long‐reads, 10x Genomics Chromium linked‐reads and Hi‐C data, the assembly spans 823 Mb (scaffold N50 of 69.0 Mb) with 97.8% of Embryophyta BUSCOs “Complete”. We present a new method in Diploidocus ( limsuite/diploidocus ) for classifying, curating and QC‐filtering scaffolds, which combines read depths, k ‐mer frequencies and BUSCO predictions. We also present a new tool, DepthSizer ( limsuite/depthsizer ), for genome size estimation from the read depth of single‐copy orthologues and estimate the genome size to be approximately 900 Mb. The largest 11 scaffolds contained 94.1% of the assembly, conforming to the expected number of chromosomes (2 n = 22). Genome annotation predicted 40,158 protein‐coding genes, 351 rRNAs and 728 tRNAs. We investigated CYCLOIDEA ( CYC ) genes, which have a role in determination of floral symmetry, and confirm the presence of two copies in the genome. Read depth analysis of 180 “Duplicated” BUSCO genes using a new tool, DepthKopy ( limsuite/depthkopy ), suggests almost all are real duplications, increasing confidence in the annotation and highlighting a possible need to revise the BUSCO set for this lineage. The chromosome‐level T . speciosissima reference genome (Tspe_v1) provides an important new genomic resource of Proteaceae to support the conservation of flora in Australia and further afield.

The genome of the Wollemi pine, a critically endangered “living fossil” unchanged since the Cretaceous, reveals extensive ancient transposon activity

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Date: 24-08-2023

DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.24.554647

Abstract: We present the genome of the living fossil, Wollemia nobilis , a southern hemisphere conifer morphologically unchanged since the Cretaceous. Presumed extinct until rediscovery in 1994, the Wollemi pine is critically endangered with less than 60 wild adults threatened by intensifying bushfires in the Blue Mountains of Australia. The 12 Gb genome is among the most contiguous large plant genomes assembled, with extremely low heterozygosity and unusual abundance of DNA transposons. Reduced representation and genome re-sequencing of in iduals confirms a relictual population since the last major glacial/drying period in Australia, 120 ky BP. Small RNA and methylome sequencing reveal conservation of ancient silencing mechanisms despite the presence of thousands of active and abundant transposons, including some transferred horizontally to conifers from arthropods in the Jurassic. A retrotransposon burst 8-6 my BP coincided with population decline, possibly as an adaptation enhancing epigenetic ersity. Wollemia , like other conifers, is susceptible to Phytophthora , and a suite of defense genes, similar to those in loblolly pine, are targeted for silencing by sRNAs in leaves. The genome provides insight into the earliest seed plants, while enabling conservation efforts.

Tracking habitat or testing its suitability? Similar distributional patterns can hide very different histories of persistence versus nonequilibrium dynamics

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 26-04-2022

DOI: 10.1111/EVO.14460

Abstract: The expansions and contractions of a species' range in response to temporal changes in selective filters leave genetic signatures that can inform a more accurate reconstruction of their evolutionary history across the landscape. After a long period of continental decline, Australian rainforests settled into localized patterns of contraction or expansion during the climatic fluctuations of the Quaternary. The environmental impacts of recurring glacial and interglacial periods also intensified the arrival of new lineages from the Sunda shelf, and it can be expected that immigrant versus locally persistent taxa responded to environmental challenges in quantifiably different manner. To investigate how such differences impact on species' distribution, we contrast landscape genomic patterns and changes in habitat availability between a species with a long continental history on Doryphora sassafras and a Sunda-derived species (Toona ciliata), across a distributional overlap. Extensive landscape-level homogeneity across chloroplast and nuclear genomes for the Sunda-derived T. ciliata, characterize the genetic signature of a very recent invasion and a rapid southern "exploratory" expansion that had not been previously recorded in the Australian flora (i.e., of Gondwanan origin or Sahul-derived). In contrast, D. sassafras is consistent with other Sahul-derived species characterized by strong geographical ergence and regional differentiation. Interestingly, our findings suggest that admixture between genetically ergent populations during expansion events might be a contributing factor to the successful colonization of novel habitats. Overall, this study identifies some of the mechanisms regulating the rearrangements in species distributions and assemblage composition that follow major environmental shifts, and reminds us how a species' current range might not necessarily define species' habitat preference, with the consequence that estimates of past or future range might not always be reliable.

Looks can be deceiving: speciation dynamics of co‐distributedAngophora(Myrtaceae) species in a varying landscape

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-12-2020

DOI: 10.1111/EVO.14140

Genomic Screening to Identify Food Trees Potentially Dispersed by Precolonial Indigenous Peoples

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 08-03-2022

DOI: 10.3390/GENES13030476

Abstract: Over millennia, Indigenous peoples have dispersed the propagules of non-crop plants through trade, seasonal migration or attending ceremonies and potentially increased the geographic range or abundance of many food species around the world. Genomic data can be used to reconstruct these histories. However, it can be difficult to disentangle anthropogenic from non-anthropogenic dispersal in long-lived non-crop species. We developed a genomic workflow that can be used to screen out species that show patterns consistent with faunal dispersal or long-term isolation, and identify species that carry dispersal signals of putative human influence. We used genotyping-by-sequencing (DArTseq) and whole-plastid sequencing (SKIMseq) to identify nuclear and chloroplast Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in east Australian rainforest trees (4 families, 7 genera, 15 species) with large ( mm) or small ( mm) edible fruit, either with or without a known history of use by Indigenous peoples. We employed standard population genetic analyses to test for four signals of dispersal using a limited and opportunistically acquired s le scheme. We expected different patterns for species that fall into one of three broadly described dispersal histories: (1) ongoing faunal dispersal, (2) post-megafauna isolation and (3) post-megafauna isolation followed by dispersal of putative human influence. We identified five large-fruited species that displayed strong population structure combined with signals of dispersal. We propose coalescent methods to investigate whether these genomic signals can be attributed to post-megafauna isolation and dispersal by Indigenous peoples.

Perceptions of similarity can mislead provenancing strategies-an example from five co-distributed Acacia species

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 06-08-2020

DOI: 10.3390/D12080306

Abstract: Ecological restoration requires balancing levels of genetic ersity to achieve present-day establishment as well as long-term sustainability. Assumptions based on distributional, taxonomic or functional generalizations are often made when deciding how to source plant material for restoration. We investigate this assumption and ask whether species-specific data is required to optimize provenancing strategies. We use population genetic and environmental data from five congeneric and largely co-distributed species of Acacia to specifically ask how different species-specific genetic provenancing strategies are based on empirical data and how well a simple, standardized collection strategy would work when applied to the same species. We find substantial variability in terms of patterns of genetic ersity and differentiation across the landscape among these five co-distributed Acacia species. This variation translates into substantial differences in genetic provenancing recommendations among species (ranging from 100% to less than 1% of observed genetic variation across species) that could not have been accurately predicted a priori based on simple observation or overall distributional patterns. Furthermore, when a common provenancing strategy was applied to each species, the recommended collection areas and the evolutionary representativeness of such artificially standardized areas were substantially different (smaller) from those identified based on environmental and genetic data. We recommend the implementation of the increasingly accessible array of evolutionary-based methodologies and information to optimize restoration efforts.

Reproductive characteristics, population genetics, and pairwise kinship inform strategic recovery of a plant species in a fragmented landscape

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 22-02-2023

DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.12910

Abstract: Population genetics and understanding of mating systems provide fundamental information for conservation planning. Pairing these methods is a powerful tool in the study of threatened species, however, they are rarely applied in concert. We examined the mating system and used molecular genetics to measure pairwise kinship and the potential for inbreeding in Hibbertia spanantha , a critically endangered long‐lived shrub endemic to the Sydney Basin, Australia, as a model for conservation planning of species in highly fragmented populations. In situ hand pollination experiments demonstrated that the species is preferentially outcrossing, with limited ability to self‐pollinate (either autogamously or geitonogamously). Although population genetics confirmed high levels of kinship and clonality, there is currently enough population heterozygosity for successful open pollination, primarily through buzz pollination by Sweat Bees ( Lasioglossum [Chilalictus ]). High levels of clonality and population kinship in one population may be the cause of reduced fitness, identified because our outcrossing pollination treatment produced significantly more seeds with greater viability and seed mass than the open treatments. Differences in weight of filled (viable) seeds were identified between populations, although not treatments, where clonal dominance may be sw ing pollinator foraging activities. Identification of species mating system, population reproductive capacity, and impacts of fragmentation on population genetic health provides a robust basis for strategic planning and conservation of this critically endangered species, including establishment of an ex situ population and genetic rescue through population augmentation. These methods are easily applicable and particularly relevant to other plant species with small populations or those occurring in fragmented systems.

A turn in species conservation for hairpin banksias: demonstration of oversplitting leads to better management of diversity

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 10-2022

DOI: 10.1002/AJB2.16074

Abstract: Understanding evolutionary history and classifying discrete units of organisms remain overwhelming tasks, and lags in this workload concomitantly impede an accurate documentation of bio ersity and conservation management. Rapid advances and improved accessibility of sensitive high‐throughput sequencing tools are fortunately quickening the resolution of morphological complexes and thereby improving the estimation of species ersity. The recently described and critically endangered Banksia vincentia is morphologically similar to the hairpin banksia complex ( B. spinulosa s.l.), a group of eastern Australian flowering shrubs whose continuum of morphological ersity has been responsible for taxonomic controversy and possibly questionable conservation initiatives. To assist conservation while testing the current taxonomy of this group, we used high‐throughput sequencing to infer a population‐scale evolutionary scenario for a s le set that is comprehensive in its representation of morphological ersity and a 2500‐km distribution. Banksia spinulosa s.l. represents two clades, each with an internal genetic structure shaped through historical separation by biogeographic barriers. This structure conflicts with the existing taxonomy for the group. Corroboration between phylogeny and population statistics aligns with the hypothesis that B. collina , B. neoanglica , and B. vincentia should not be classified as species. The pattern here supports how morphological ersity can be indicative of a locally expressed suite of traits rather than relationship. Oversplitting in the hairpin banksias is atypical since genomic analyses often reveal that species ersity is underestimated. However, we show that erring on overestimation can yield negative consequences, such as the disproportionate prioritization of a geographically anomalous population.

Conserving refugia

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 07-02-2021

DOI: 10.3390/D13020067

Abstract: Refugia play an important role in contributing to the conservation of species and communities by buffering environmental conditions over time. As large natural landscapes worldwide are declining and are increasingly threatened by extreme events, critical decision-making in biological conservation depends on improved understanding of what is being protected by refugia and why. We provide three novel definitions for refugia (i.e., persistent, future, and temporary) that incorporate ecological and evolutionary dynamics into a land management decision framework and are applicable across changing temporal and spatial settings. Definitions are supported by identification, core value, and management strategy criteria to assist short- and long-term decision-making. We illustrate these concepts using the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests (WHGR) of eastern Australia, briefly exploring the spatial and temporal factors that can inform the development of conservation management strategies following the extreme fire events of 2019–2020. For the WHGR, available knowledge can be used to protect critical assets by recognizing and implementing buffer zones and corridor connections, and by undertaking emergency translocations of target species into safe areas that will act as future refugia. More broadly, we suggest that the identification and protection of ecological and evolutionary processes across varying temporal and spatial scales is central to securing improved bio ersity conservation outcomes.

Small populations of fig trees offer a keystone food resource and conservation benefits for declining insectivorous birds

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 04-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.GECCO.2018.E00403

Threatened Species Initiative: Empowering conservation action using genomic resources

Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Date: 18-01-2022

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.2115643118

Abstract: Globally, 15,521 animal species are listed as threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and of these less than 3% have genomic resources that can inform conservation management. To combat this, global genome initiatives are developing genomic resources, yet production of a reference genome alone does not conserve a species. The reference genome allows us to develop a suite of tools to understand both genome-wide and functional ersity within and between species. Conservation practitioners can use these tools to inform their decision-making. But, at present there is an implementation gap between the release of genome information and the use of genomic data in applied conservation by conservation practitioners. In May 2020, we launched the Threatened Species Initiative and brought a consortium of genome biologists, population biologists, bioinformaticians, population geneticists, and ecologists together with conservation agencies across Australia, including government, zoos, and nongovernment organizations. Our objective is to create a foundation of genomic data to advance our understanding of key Australian threatened species, and ultimately empower conservation practitioners to access and apply genomic data to their decision-making processes through a web-based portal. Currently, we are developing genomic resources for 61 threatened species from a range of taxa, across Australia, with more than 130 collaborators from government, academia, and conservation organizations. Developed in direct consultation with government threatened-species managers and other conservation practitioners, herein we present our framework for meeting their needs and our systematic approach to integrating genomics into threatened species recovery.

Managing the risk of genetic swamping of a rare and restricted tree

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 07-06-2019

DOI: 10.1007/S10592-019-01201-4

Capturing Genetic Diversity in Seed Collections: An Empirical Study of Two Congeners with Contrasting Mating Systems

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 23-01-2023

DOI: 10.3390/PLANTS12030522

Abstract: Plant mating systems shape patterns of genetic ersity and impact the long-term success of populations. As such, they are relevant to the design of seed collections aiming to maximise genetic ersity (e.g., germplasm conservation, ecological restoration). However, for most species, little is known empirically about how variation in mating systems and genetic ersity is distributed. We investigated the relationship between genetic ersity and mating systems in two functionally similar, co-occurring species of Hakea (Proteaceae), and evaluated the extent to which genetic ersity was captured in seeds. We genotyped hundreds of seedlings and mother plants via DArTseq, and developed novel implementations of two approaches to inferring the mating system from SNP data. A striking contrast in patterns of genetic ersity between H. sericea and H. teretifolia was revealed, consistent with a contrast in their mating systems. While both species had mixed mating systems, H. sericea was found to be habitually selfing, while H. teretifolia more evenly employed both selfing and outcrossing. In both species, seed collection schemes maximised genetic ersity by increasing the number of maternal lines and sites s led, but twice as many sites were needed for the selfing species to capture equivalent levels of genetic variation at a regional scale.

A conservation genomics workflow to guide practical management actions

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 04-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.GECCO.2021.E01492

Eucalyptus cryptica (Myrtaceae): a critically endangered new species

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 05-09-2023

DOI: 10.1071/SB22031

Where to draw the boundaries? Using landscape genomics to disentangle the scribbly gum species complex

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 25-09-2023

DOI: 10.1002/AJB2.16245

Allele Surfing and Holocene Expansion of an Australian Fig (Ficus—Moraceae)

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 07-06-2021

DOI: 10.3390/D13060250

Abstract: The creek sandpaper fig of southeastern Australia, Ficus coronata Spin, is culturally significant to Australian traditional owners who made use of the leaves to smooth timber and ate the fruit. The species is thought to have a long history on the continent, with some suggesting a Gondwanan origin. However, distributional patterns and overall ecology suggest a recent expansion across suitable habitats. We used landscape genomic techniques and environmental niche modelling to reconstruct its history and explore whether the species underwent a recent and rapid expansion along the east coast of New South Wales. Genomic analysis of 178 specimens collected from 32 populations throughout the species’ New South Wales distribution revealed a lack of genetic ersity and population structure. Some populations at the species’ southern and western range limits displayed unexpected ersity, which appears to be the result of allele surfing. Field work and genetic evidence suggest a Holocene expansion which may have increased since European colonisation. We also present a novel method for detecting allele surfing—MAHF (minor allele at highest frequency).

Phylogenetic Reconstruction of the Rainforest Lineage Fontainea Heckel (Euphorbiaceae) Based on Chloroplast DNA Sequences and Reduced-Representation SNP Markers

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 09-2022

DOI: 10.3390/D14090725

Abstract: Fontainea is a plant genus with nine recognised species that occur across the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. One of these species is cultivated commercially as the source of a cancer therapeutic, and several other species are under threat of extinction. Despite this, the phylogenetic relationships of the genus have not been explored. Our study assessed the phylogeny of seven Fontainea taxa from the Australian and Pacific Island complex using chloroplast DNA sequence data and reduced-representation genome sequencing. Maximum-likelihood and consensus network trees were used to infer the topology of phylogenetic relationships between species, which highlighted three distinct lineages and a number of sister species. Our results indicated that the geographically disjunct species Fontainea venosa and F. pancheri formed a sister group at the earliest position of ergence for the genus. The data also revealed that the vulnerable Fontainea australis and the critically endangered F. oraria form a sister subclade with evidence of some shared plastid genotypes. Generally, our phylogenetic reconstruction supports the modern taxonomical nomenclature. However, we suggest further accessions across several species may support improved genetic distinctions between the sister groups of Fontainea within the genus.

Identifying evolutionary lineages in the Elaeocarpus obovatus complex: population genetics and morphometric analyses support a new subspecies, Elaeocarpus obovatus subsp. umbratilis, from northern Queensland, Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/SB18054

Abstract: With the aim to solve long-standing problems of taxonomic delimitation within the E. obovatus species complex (E. obovatus G.Don, E. arnhemicus F.Muell., E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker (L.J.Brass 18336) Qld Herbarium and E. coorangooloo J.F.Bailey & C.T.White), ersity and relatedness were assessed using a combined population genetics and morphometric approach among 181 and 102 in iduals respectively. Simple sequence-repeat (SSR) markers were analysed with clustering methods, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and STRUCTURE. The morphometric data were analysed using cluster and classification and regression tree (CART) methods. The morphometric and genetic analyses together resolve discrete groups corresponding to E. arnhemicus, E. coorangooloo, E. obovatus and E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker. Elaeocarpus arnhemicus is clearly distinct from all other entities on most of the morphometric and genetic analyses. By contrast, E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker and E. obovatus were not clearly separated from each other in many morphometric analyses, but can be distinguished clearly by the strongly curved pedicels in early bud and hairy ovary, and, to a lesser extent, by the frequent occurrence of two racemes per axil and cuneate leaf bases, and on the results of the genetic analyses. Elaeocarpus coorangooloo exhibits considerable genetic admixture with the other entities, but it is morphologically distinct. SSR profiles suggested that E. arnhemicus and E. obovatus may be tetraploid, whereas the other entities are diploid. This study has clarified the taxonomic limits of the currently recognised species E. arnhemicus, E. obovatus and E. coorangooloo and supports recognition of E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker at subspecies rank, described herein as E. obovatus subsp. umbratilis Y.Baba & Crayn. A key to all taxa and revised accounts of E. arnhemicus, E. obovatus subsp. obovatus and E. coorangooloo are provided.

National Herbarium Of New South Wales

Location: Australia

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Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP120100501

Start Date: 03-2012

End Date: 03-2015

Amount: $285,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP0665859

Start Date: 08-2006

End Date: 08-2009

Amount: $282,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP220200950

Start Date: 07-2024

End Date: 07-2027

Amount: $288,257.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP180100721

Start Date: 02-2020

End Date: 06-2023

Amount: $374,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP110100721

Start Date: 02-2011

End Date: 12-2013

Amount: $410,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP180100942

Start Date: 11-2019

End Date: 11-2024

Amount: $729,500.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP180102188

Start Date: 03-2018

End Date: 06-2023

Amount: $191,374.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP200200688

Start Date: 04-2022

End Date: 04-2026

Amount: $543,650.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP190100484

Start Date: 03-2021

End Date: 02-2024

Amount: $410,237.00

Funder: Australian Research Council