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| Myriophyllum rubricaule Valk. & Duist., in Van Valkenburg, Duistermaat, Boer et Raaymakers, 2022. |
Abstract
A confusingly labeled water-milfoil of obscure status, known only in cultivation, is here formally described as a new species, Myriophyllum rubricaule Valk. & Duist. sp. nov. This species has fully replaced M. aquaticum in the horticultural trade in Europe since the addition of M. aquaticum to the list of invasive alien species of Union concern (EU regulation no. 1143/2014) in 2016. This manuscript provides a morphological description of M. rubricaule sp. nov., and its distinction from M. aquaticum is further supported by molecular data (chloroplast and nuclear loci).
Keywords: Myriophyllum, water-milfoil, EU regulation no. 1143/2014, invasive plant, horticulture
Myriophyllum rubricaule Valk. & Duist. sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Herba perennis aquatica vel paludigena. Folia omnia verticillata pectinata. Flores unisexuales, solae plantae femininae culturaeque cognitus. Flores intra axillas foliorum solitarii. Planta valde similaris Myriophyllo aquatico, sed caules foliaque modice, caules purpurei et folia emergentia virida. Flores feminei subrosei
Etymology: The species epithet is based on the purplish red color of the stem.
Johan L.C.H. Van Valkenburg, Leni (H.) Duistermaat, Edu Boer and Tom M. Raaymakers. 2022. Myriophyllum rubricaule sp. nov., a M. aquaticum look-alike only known in cultivation. European Journal of Taxonomy. 828(1), 1-15. DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.828.1847