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Abstract
Generic delineations within the Laurencia complex are examined on a worldwide scale using both morphological characters and molecular cladistics (rbcL) including new evidence from Australian and Asian Pacific material. The results show that the genera Osmundea and Yuzurua are both monophyletic and well supported, that Palisada is not a distinct genus but should be merged with Chondrophycus, and that the genus Laurencia is polyphyletic among three separate clades; Laurencia sensu stricto, Laurencia elata group and Laurencia marilzae group. The results also show an unnamed clade closely related to the Osmundea genus. The unnamed clade, the elata group, and the marilzae group are recognized as new genera with both molecular and morphological evidence; Norfophycus gen. nov. from Norfolk Island and the Philippines; Coronaphycus gen. nov. from Australia; and Neolaurencia gen. nov. from the Canary Islands, Spain, respectively. One new genus is recognized based on morphological evidence alone; Namia gen. nov. from Korea. In addition, three new combinations are made; Coronaphycus elatus comb. nov., Neolaurencia marilzae comb. nov., and Namia kangjaewonii comb. nov.
As well as investigating the genera this research investigates the species of the Laurencia complex that occur in NSW. The entire coast of NSW, including Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, was visited with the express purpose of collecting taxa belonging to this complex. Molecular phylogenies using the genes rbcL, rbcL-rbcS spacer, and COX1 were created and combined with traditional morphological investigations to determine species within the Laurencia complex. Results show seventeen individual species are present in NSW; in the genus Laurencia; L. calliptera, L. queenslandica stat. nov., L. venusta, L. concinna, L. decussata stat. nov., L. elegans stat. nov., and L. dendroidea; in the genus Coronaphycus; Coronaphycus elatus comb. nov., Coronaphycus minorus sp. nov; in the genus Chondrophycus; Chondrophycus cruciatus, and in the genus Norfophycus; Norfophycus originalis sp. nov. As well, six taxa may represent previously undescribed species, however further investigations are required to confirm identifications; four Laurencia taxa, one Chondrophycus taxon and one Norfophycus taxon.