A phylogenetic analysis of the Crinum rautanenianum complex (Crininae, Amaryllidaceae) – with a description of C. luangwense sp. nov.

Abstract Within genus Crinum L. there has been a lot of confusion, as to species delimitation, particularly in the Crinum rautanenianum complex comprising Crinum carolo-schmidtii, C. euchrophyllum, C. paludosum, C. rautanenianum, and also a specimen referred to as sp. A in Flora of Tropical East Africa. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses were conducted on two datasets: nuclear DNA region (ITS) and five plastid regions (trnL-F spacer, trnL intron, rps16 intron, psbA-trnH spacer, and rps12-rpl20 spacer). Additionally, morphological characters based on herbarium specimens, pictures from the field, type specimens, and protologues were studied to establish diagnostic characters within the complex. Results from phylogeny and morphological characters provide evidence for the reinstatement of C. euchrophyllum, recognition of C. rautanenianum, C. carolo-schmidtii, C. paludosum, with a revisited description of C. rautanenianum, and the description of a new taxon: C. luangwense. A taxonomic revision of the C. rautanenianum complex is presented, including diagnostic characters, an identification key and distribution maps.