Recircumscription of Utricularia leptorhyncha and U. lasiocaulis and three related new species for northern Australia

The Utricularia lasiocaulis F.Muell. complex (subg. Polypompholyx; sect. Lasiocaules) is a morphologically and ecologically variable group of closely related taxa with mostly tropical distribution across northern Australia. A recent molecular phylogenetic study placed the recognised species U. kamienskii sister to clade accessions relegated either leptorhyncha O. Schwarz or lasiocaulis, latter previously circumscribed as an assemblage highly morphological forms. We have expanded previous include populations representing known distributions all three attempted variants; 55 ingroup were used in full analysis based on two non-coding chloroplast regions (rps16, trnD–T) nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). found that pink corolla form usually white flowered not sufficiently different, we retain it under species. also strong support for paraphyletic leptorhyncha, smaller matching type material other forms, including grouping assigned larger leptorhyncha. Within much variation sorts into well-supported clades find are genetically differentiated from recognition at specific rank, namely brennanii R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro Northern Territory Queensland, cowiei Kimberley region Western Australia, disjuncta restricted Darwin Gulf Territory.