Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum
Encyclopedia
Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum is the subspecies of Disphyma crassifolium (Round-leaved Pigface) that occurs in Australia
and New Zealand
. It is sometimes known by the common name Rounded Noon-flower
in 1786, based on New Zealand material. Forster failed to give a description, however, so valid publication of the name falls to William Aiton
, who published a description in 1789. In 1803, Adrian Hardy Haworth
published M. clavellatum based on plants raised at Kew from seeds collected in Australia. In 1830, N. E. Brown transferred M. australe into Disphyma as D. australe. In 1971 Robert James Chinnock published a new species name, D. blackii, for some New Zealand material, and five years later he transferred M. clavellatum to Disphyma.
In the early 1980s, Hugh Francis Glen determined, on the basic of a multivariate analysis
, that Disphyma was monotypic. All other names were therefore given synonymy with D. crassifolium. This situation remained until 1986, when it was decided that the South African populations differed sufficiently from the Australian and New Zealand populations to merit distinct subspecies. D. crassifolium subsp. clavellatum was then erected to encompass the Australian and New Zealand populations, with the autonym
D. crassifolium subsp. crassifolium defined as encompassing the South African plants.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is sometimes known by the common name Rounded Noon-flower
Description
It grows as a prostrate, succulent shrub or annual herb, from two to 30 centimetres high. Unlike the other pigfaces its leaves are round in cross-section. Flowers are pink, purple or violet.Taxonomy
This subspecies was first published under the name Mesembryanthemum australe by Georg ForsterGeorg Forster
Johann Georg Adam Forster was a German naturalist, ethnologist, travel writer, journalist, and revolutionary. At an early age, he accompanied his father on several scientific expeditions, including James Cook's second voyage to the Pacific...
in 1786, based on New Zealand material. Forster failed to give a description, however, so valid publication of the name falls to William Aiton
William Aiton
William Aiton was a Scottish botanist.Aiton was born near Hamilton. Having been regularly trained to the profession of a gardener, he travelled to London in 1754, and became assistant to Philip Miller, then superintendent of the Chelsea Physic Garden...
, who published a description in 1789. In 1803, Adrian Hardy Haworth
Adrian Hardy Haworth
Adrian Hardy Haworth was an English entomologist, botanist and carcinologist.He was the son of Benjamin Haworth of Haworth Hall...
published M. clavellatum based on plants raised at Kew from seeds collected in Australia. In 1830, N. E. Brown transferred M. australe into Disphyma as D. australe. In 1971 Robert James Chinnock published a new species name, D. blackii, for some New Zealand material, and five years later he transferred M. clavellatum to Disphyma.
In the early 1980s, Hugh Francis Glen determined, on the basic of a multivariate analysis
Multivariate analysis
Multivariate analysis is based on the statistical principle of multivariate statistics, which involves observation and analysis of more than one statistical variable at a time...
, that Disphyma was monotypic. All other names were therefore given synonymy with D. crassifolium. This situation remained until 1986, when it was decided that the South African populations differed sufficiently from the Australian and New Zealand populations to merit distinct subspecies. D. crassifolium subsp. clavellatum was then erected to encompass the Australian and New Zealand populations, with the autonym
Autonym (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, autonyms are automatically created names, as regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature . Autonyms are cited without an author. Relevant provisions are in articles 6.8, 22.1-3 and 26.1-3....
D. crassifolium subsp. crassifolium defined as encompassing the South African plants.