Phylogenetics and the conservation of rare taxa in the Eucalyptus angustissima complex in Western Australia

Effective conservation that preserves evolutionary entities and processes requires conservation action that is targeted at appropriate taxonomic units. Molecular phylogenetics can contribute to the resolution of taxonomic uncertainties by defining the relationships between populations and species, and allowing the recognition of taxonomic entities that reflect evolutionary history. Some uncertainty surrounds the status of taxa in the Eucalyptus angustissima complex, which includes threatened taxa with restricted distributions. The phylogenetic relationships between populations and taxa in the E. angustissima complex were investigated using nuclear and chloroplast RFLP analysis. Phylogenetic relationships confirmed the genetic differentiation of two taxa, identified species level divergence between two taxa currently recognised at subspecies level, and established the identity of a previously undetermined population. Phylogenetic relationships between the taxa were not congruent with presumed relationships based on morphological characters alone.