Conspectus of the genus Douglasia (Primulaceae) with comments on Douglasia alaskana , an Alaska–Yukon alpine endemic

The endemic North American genus Douglasia has been considered dubiously distinct from its widespread Asiatic relative Androsace, differing primarily in flower color and growth habit. The distinctive nature of Douglasia is reaffirmed here, and the definition of the genus is amplified with additional...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Botany
Main Author: Kelso, Sylvia
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1992
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b92-076
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b92-076
Description
Summary:The endemic North American genus Douglasia has been considered dubiously distinct from its widespread Asiatic relative Androsace, differing primarily in flower color and growth habit. The distinctive nature of Douglasia is reaffirmed here, and the definition of the genus is amplified with additional characters that include an exserted corolla tube, stellate pubescence, multiple scapes, sessile umbels, and a higher chromosome number. A species endemic to Alaska and the Yukon, formerly known as Androsace alaskana, is transferred to Douglasia on this basis. This taxon is apparently closed related to Asiatic members of Androsace and may represent an ancestral link between the two genera. Key words: Androsace, Arctic, Douglasia, Primulaceae.