Calyptridium parryi (Montiaceae, formerly Portulacaceae) putatively comprises four varieties: arizonicum, hesseae, nevadense, and parryi. We performed a detailed phenetic analysis of seed, fruit, and sepal morphology in order to assess the distinction and rank of these varieties. We treated the San Pedro Martir Mountains, Baja California populations of C. parryi as a separate taxonomic unit in these studies, given their great disjunct distribution. In addition, we included the very similar and largely sympatric C. monandrum in these analyses. Results from ANOVA and principal components analysis indicate that the six entities examined are, to various degrees, morphologically diagnosable. Calyptridium parryi varieties hesseae, nevadense, and parryi show some overlap in features, and we propose keeping these as varieties. Populations from the San Pedro Martir Mountains are distinct from other varieties of C. parryi, possibly warranting varietal status, but further studies with more samples are needed to confirm this. However, we conclude that C. parryi variety arizonicum is different enough in several features and geographic range to warrant species status, by a taxonomic/morphologic species concept. Calyptridium monandrum should be retained as a separate species.
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1 July 2010
Taxonomy of Calyptridium parryi (Montiaceae)
Michael G. Simpson,
Michael Silveira,
C. Matt Guilliams
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Madroño
Vol. 57 • No. 3
July 2010
Vol. 57 • No. 3
July 2010
Calyptridium
Calyptridium monandrum
Calyptridium parryi
Montiaceae
Portulacaceae
species
taxonomy