Morphological and molecular evidence gives insight into the taxonomic position of Peucedanumpubescens (Apiaceae, Selineae)

In this study, morphological and molecular evidences were combined to determine the taxonomic position of Peucedanumpubescens Hand.-Mazz. Morphologically, Peucedanumpubescens is similar to the species of the genus Ligusticopsis in having fibrous remnant sheaths at the stem base, pinnate and linear coexisted bracts, strongly compressed dorsally mericarps, filiform median and lateral ribs, winged marginal ribs, numerous vittae in each furrow and commissure, but can also be easily distinguished from members of Ligusticopsis by its hispid fruit and linear-lanceolate bracteoles. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the single-copy protein-coding sequences (CDS) of plastomes and internal transcribed space (ITS) region showed that Peucedanumpubescens nested in the genus Ligusticopsis. As both morphological and molecular data supported the inclusion of Peucedanumpubescens within Ligusticopsis, the species is here transferred and the new combination, Ligusticopsispubescens (Hand.-Mazz.) J.J.Deng, C.K.Liu & X.J.He, made.