SYSTEMATIC REEVALUATION OF THE PHACELIA PATULIFLORA
(HYDROPHYLLACEAE) COMPLEX

Billie L. Turner
Plant Resources Center
The University of Texas

Austin, TX 78712

ABSTRACT

Moyer and Turner (1994) presented a treatment of Phacelia patuliflora in which three,
allopatric, infraspecific categories were recognized: var. patuliflora of central Texas; var. teucriifolia
(I.M. Johns!) Constance of western Texas and north-central Mexico, and var. austrotexana J. A
Moyer of southern Texas and closely adjacent Mexico. The complex has been reassessed and it is
concluded that all are worthy of specific rank since they all form relatively uniform, discrete,
populations and do not intergrade. Appropriate specific names follow: Phacelia patuliflora (Engelm.
& A. Gray) A Gray; Phacelia teucriifolia I.M. Johns!; and Phacelia austrotexana (J.A Moyer)
B.L. Turner, stat. nov. Distribution maps are provided along with selected statements bearing on their
biological status.
KEYWORDS: Phacelia, P. patuliflora, P. austrotexana sp. nov., Hydrophyllaceae, Texas, Mexico

Mover and Turner (1994) presented a treatment of Has Phacelia patuliflora complex, based
upon a Master's thesis of the senior author (J.A Moyer), which recognized three allopatric,
infraspecific taxa: var. patuliflora, var. teucriifolia, and a newly described var. austrotexana. Their
treatment was unduly conservative, considering the fact that all of the taxa appeared to be valid
biological species deserving of specific rank, as they all form relatively uniform, discrete, populations
and do not intergrade. Indeed, as Mover's major professor, I was amiss in not encouraging her to do
so. Regardless, the oversight is corrected here in the account that follows:

Phacelia patuliflora (Engelm. & A. Gray) A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 321. 1875. Eutoca
patuliflora Engelm. & A Gray, Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 253. 1845. Fig. 2.
This name is typified by material collected in Austin Co., Texas, by Lindheimer in 1843. It is

readily distinguished by its pubescence t.t glandulai luJiomes as ,\dl as oihei characters, as

described by Moyer and Turner. The taxon has not been found to occur with other members of the

complex nor have intergrades been detected.

Phacelia teucriifolia I.M. Johns!, J. Arnold Arbor. 24: 98. 1943. Phacelia patuliflora var.

teucriifolia (I.M. Johns!) Constance. Contr. Gray Herb. 168: 24. 1949. Fig. 3.

This name is typified by material collected in Musquiz, Coahuila, Mexico, by Marsh in 1936.
It is readily recognized by its vestiture of shoi! eglanduiai haus and characters of the calyx, as noted
by Moyer and Turner (1994) in their trinomic key to taxa. It is relatively rare in Mexico; other than
the type, it is known to me by only one other Mexican collection (Coahuila: "Rcho. Florida," ca. 100
km NW of Muzquiz, Carranza 1539 [TEX]). The species, however, is relatively common in Texas,
as indicated in Fig. 3.

Phacelia austrotexana (J.A Moyer) B.L. Turner, comb, et stat. nov. Based upon Phacelia
patuliflora var. austrotexana J.A Moyer, Sida 16: 250. 1994. Fig. 1.

This name is typified by material collected in San Patricio Co., Texas. It is abundantly
represented in herbaria by collections from southern Texas and does not, to my knowledge, intergrade
with other closely related taxa. Moyer and Turner (1994) observed that Phacelia ;

var. austrotexana) probably Is closer to P. laxa Small than it is to P. patidiflora sensu siricto, which
as noted by Constance (1949) appears equally close to P. strictiflora (Engelm. & Gray) A. Gray.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to J.A. Moyer for her excellent Master's thesis, which called to the fore the
problem addressed here, to Guy Nesom for helpful suggestions, and to Bob Harms for efficacious
technical assistance with formatting of the maps. The distribution maps are based upon specimens on
file at TEX -LL and, in the case of P. teueriifolia, specimens cited in the work of Constance (1949).

LITERATURE CITED

Constance, L. 1949. A revision of Phacelia subgenus Cosmanthus (Hydrophyllaceae). Contr. Gray

Herb. 168: 1-48.
Moyer, J.A. and B.L. Turner. 1994. Systematic study of Texas populations of Phacelia patidiflora

(Hydrophyllaceae). Sida 16: 245-252.

Figure 1. Distribution of Phacelia austrotexana.

svaluation of Phacetia patutiftora 3

Figure 2. Distribution of
Phaceliapatuliflora.

Figure 3. Distribution of
Phacelia teucriifolia.