pdf
Published
2022-01-29
Issue
Section
Head Topics
License
Copyright (c) 2022 CAPITULUM: The International Compositae Alliance Newsletter
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Hiding in plain sight: Two new species of alpine thistles, Cirsium culebraensis and C. funkiae (Cardueae) from the southern Rocky Mountains (United States)
Jennifer R. Ackerfield
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6797-1088
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53875/capitulum.01.2.01
Keywords: Funk’s thistle, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Culebra Range
Abstract
The circumscription of the Cirsium eatonii varietal complex of North American alpine thistles has changed significantly
given recent molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrating that the complex was not monophyletic. To improve
their taxonomy, all varieties within the C. eatonii complex were recognized as distinct species. However, three
remaining unique evolutionary lineages corresponded to undescribed phenotypic variation. Two of these lineages
from the southern Rocky Mountains in the United States are described and illustrated here as Cirsium culebraensis
sp. nov. and Cirsium funkiae sp. nov. A combination of molecular, morphological, and geographical evidence, as well
as, a bit of historical detective work was used to sort out the C. eatonii varietal complex taxonomy. A key to the
recognized species is provided.
