Taxonomy of the Passerina filiformis complex (Thymelaeaceae)

Abstract

Revision of the genus Passerina L. indicated a new delimitation of taxonomic entities within the Passerina filiformis L. complex. Evidence from leaf anatomy greatly assisted in the recognition of taxa.  P. filiformis is here divided into two sub­species. namely P. filiformis subsp.  filiformis and P. filiformis subsp. glutinosa (Thoday) Bredenkamp & A.E.van Wyk. and a new species. P. montivagus Bredenkamp & A.E.van Wyk, which is also described. The new taxa are geographically separated: subsp. filiformis ranges from Piquetberg in the north through the Cape Peninsula in the south, where it is quite com­mon. to Attaquaskloof in the southwestern Cape: subsp. glutinosa occurs along the coast between Vredendal and St Helena Bay; and  P. montivagus has a wide distribution from Mossel Bay and Oudtshoom in the south through Eastern Cape and along the Great Escarpment northwards to Zimbabwe, with outliers in Tanzania.