Abstract Detail

Floristics & Taxonomy

Henry, Kaitlin [1], Williams, Tanisha [2], Martine, Christopher [2].

Taxonomic identities of two mystery Solanum seedlots collected in Western Australia.

The genus Solanum is one of the most species-rich lineages of the Australian Monsoon Tropics. The Solanum dioicum group consists of around 40 described species and recognized variants that have not been described as species. In late 2021, field botanists in Western Australia sent our lab two distinct Solanum seedlots collected from plants they were unable to identify as species using current keys. Seed germination and cultivation were started at the Bucknell University research greenhouse, with plans to either identify them as known species or determine that they are novel species needing to be taxonomically described. Given the locations of the collections, there is a strong possibility that at least one of the collections will be a new species to science. To address this hypothesis we are growing each seedlot to maturity and assessing reproductive and vegetative characters in order to compare the mystery plants against known species of Solanum. If either or both taxa appear to be undescribed species we will proceed with morphometric analysis and taxonomic description. New species descriptions are a crucial aspect of biodiversity conservation and undescribed species have been found to have higher rates of extinction and endangerment than described species.

1 - 701 Moore Ave CO394, Lewisburg, PA, 17387, United States
2 - Bucknell University, Biology, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, United States

Keywords:
Solanum
Solanaceae
Australia
new species
Biodiversity
Undergraduate Research.

Presentation Type: Poster
Number: PFT009
Abstract ID:578
Candidate for Awards:None