THE TAXONOMY OF SOME NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF CHRYSOSPLENIUM L., SECTION ALTERNIFOLIA FRANCHET

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Abstract
A reappraisal is presented of the taxonomy of three of the four alternate-leaved species of Chrysosplenium occurring in North America, namely C. tetrandrum, C. iowense, and C. Rosendahlii, the latter a new species described for the first time. The investigation demonstrates that the species can be readily separated morphologically even as seedlings. Each morphological entity is characterized by a different chromosome number, C. tetrandrum 2n = 24, C. Rosendahlii 2n = 96. C. iowense 2n = c.120, and a distinctive geographical distribution. C. iowense, which has on occasions been regarded as identical with C. alternifolium var. sibiricum, is retained as a species in the absence of a modern taxonomic analysis of the Old World species C. alternifolium.