A reexamination of north American Satureja sl (Lamiaceae) in light of molecular evidence

Cantino, P. D. (Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979, U.S.A.) & S. J. Wagstaff (Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research, P.O. Box 69, Lincoln 8152, New Zealand). A reexamination of North American Satureja s.l. (Lamiaceae) in light of molecular evidence. Brittonia 50: 63-70. 1998.-Satureja s.l. (Lamiaceae) is a large complex (ca. 225 spp.) that is variably treated as comprising from one to as many as 17 genera. The North American representatives are usually assigned to Calamintha, Clinopodium, Micromeria, Piloblephis, or Satureja. A recent chloroplast DNA restriction site analysis indicates that inclusion of Satureja s.str., Micromeria, and Piloblephis in the group renders it non-monophyletic. After exclusion of these three genera, a study of morphological variation in the remainder of the complex suggests that it is best treated as three genera, two of which do not occur in North America (Cyclotrichium and "Obtegomeria" [Doroszenko, ined., to be validated elsewhere]). The third comprises ca. 100 species, 11 of them native to North America north of Mexico. With Satureja s.str. excluded, the name with priority for the latter genus is Clinopodium. The indigenous North American species and their more frequently used synonyms are tabulated. A new combination, Clinopodium chandleri, is made.