Abstract
Descurainia torulosa was established in 1983 based on material collected in northwestern Wyoming. The species is now known from 2 disjunct populations in southwestern Wyoming, and recent collections have expanded the known distribution within the northern portion of its range. The north-south disjunct distribution and apparent habitat differences have stimulated questions concerning the degree of relatedness between the disjunct elements to the point that the southern populations have been suggested to be a distinct taxon. Recognition of D. torulosa as a distinct species has also been questioned. This paper is based on field examination of D. torulosa populations, study of all known D. torulosa herbarium specimens, and analysis of nucleotide sequence from the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS-1 & 2) from population exemplars. Cladistic analysis of the sequence data support our conclusion, based on morphological analysis. Northern and southern populations of D. torulosa are conspecific. Western North American Descurainia is in need of modern, critical taxonomic revision.
Recommended Citation
Bricker, Jerald S.; Brown, Gregory K.; and Patts Lewis, Tricia L.
(2000)
"Status of Descurainia torulosa (Brassicaceae),"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 60:
No.
4, Article 9.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol60/iss4/9