Molecular phylogeny of the suspended aquatic Utricularia (sect. Utricularia) with a new hybrid species U. x jacobsii from northern Australia, a new section Biovularia, and confirmation of two species in New Zealand

Utricularia sect. Utricularia contains 36 recognised species world-wide, including the recently described U. adamsii from northern Australia. We here present a molecular phylogeny of subgenus Utricularia representing most Australian species based on sequences of two plastid markers and nuclear ITS. We provide molecular evidence for hybridization events between U. aurea and U. muelleri that have occurred sporadically across northern Australia. We found phylogenetic discordance between the plastid and nuclear sequences for two of the suspected hybrid specimens. The morphological differences between U. muelleri, U. aurea and the hybrid taxon are discussed with a formal description of the hybrid taxon presented as Utricularia x jacobsii R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro. We also provide molecular evidence for the introduction/naturalization of northeastern USA/Canada endemic U. geminiscapa into New Zealand (NZ) and confirm that a NZ accession of U. australis is most closely related to those U. australis populations distributed in south-eastern Australia. We expand the section Avesicaria to include the taxa in sections Setiscapella and Steyermarkia. Lastly, we recognise a new sectional name Biovularia (Kamie & nacute;ski) Baleeiro & R.W.Jobson for U. olivacea that was found to be excluded from sect. Utricularia and instead is supported as a close ally to sect. Vesiculina.