Format: ORAL

Shelley A. Rowntree1,2, Alexander N. Schmidt-Lebuhn2, Jeremy J. Bruhl1, Ian R. H. Telford1, Rose L. Andrew1

1 Botany and N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium, University of New England, Armidale, Australia 2 Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia

Chrysocephalum Walp. is a medium-sized genus in the Waitzia clade of the Australian Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae), comprising nine currently recognised species and two phrase-named species. In a recent revision of the C. apiculatum and C. semipapposum complexes (Wilson 2016), 34 subspecies were added based on morphological characters, with a high level of complexity making distinction difficult among them. Detailed relationships within the clades of the Gnaphalieae remain largely unresolved, and generic concepts have often been based on a small number of morphological characters traditionally considered important. We have inferred a molecular phylogeny of selected Australian native Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae) to test the monophyly of the Chrysocephalum using target capture sequences and a bioinformatics pipeline co-developed through the Genome of Australia Plants Consortium. A group of three species form the core Chrysocephalum clade, C. apiculatum (type species), C. semipapposum and C. vitellinum. Arid zone species form separate clades. We are also resolving species-level relationships with molecular and morphological analyses. This study will resolve long-standing taxonomic issues and, as the study group includes several rare and threatened taxa whose status will be clarified, will also support biodiversity conservation.