A new species of Armeria (Plumbaginaceae) from southern Spain with molecular and morphometric evidence on its origin

The taxonomic status of the populations of Armeria from the Horconera massi f (Cordoba province), previously misidentified or referred to without an ex plicit identification, is re-examined on the basis of morphological and mol ecular data. A multivariate analysis indicates that they can be discriminat ed from morphologically and geographically close taxa using morphometric ch aracters. According to these results, and taking into account the previous evidence that supports extensive reticulation in the genus, a new species, A. trianoi, is formally described. Molecular Evidence from our previous wor ks, in particular the nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence data, provides the fra me for a discussion on the origin of the new entity. It is suggested that A . trianoi may be the result of introgression of sympatric populations of A. villosa subsp. longiaristata into a pre-existing taxon, possibly A. filica ulis var. minor presently occurring in Sierra Tejeda some 50 km apart. (C) 2001 The Linnean Society of London.