Species delimitation must overcome the inconsistency among the different delimitation criteria to maintain species as reliable units for biological research and conservation. The general lineage species (GLS) concept embraces different methods of species delimitation and thus provides an integrative framework for taxonomy. The Hydrocotyle stella complex contains six morphotypes that occur along mountain ranges within the Brazilian Atlantic forest, possibly representing undescribed species. In this study, we adopted the GLS concept to assess whether H. stella would be a single species or not, in which we considered genetic structure and morphological discontinuity as evidences for species delimitation. We applied ISSR-based population genetics and morphometrics to 12 populations of H. stella, representing all morphotypes across their main geographical range. Population genetics revealed three genetically structured groups (ΦST > 0.22), each associated with different mountain range regions. Morphometrics indicated significant (p < 0.001) morphological divergence among genetically structured groups, but not for all of the traditional leaf morphotypes. Based on congruency between genetic structure and morphological discontinuity, we recognized three species within the complex, H. alpina, H. palacea, and H. quinqueradiata, and provided their due taxonomic treatment.

中文翻译：

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划分星座：来自巴西大西洋森林的星形水螅物种复合体（五加科）的综合分类学

物种划界必须克服不同划界标准之间的不一致，以保持物种作为生物研究和保护的可靠单位。一般谱系物种 (GLS) 概念包含不同的物种划分方法，因此为分类提供了一个综合框架。Hydrocotyle stella 复合体包含六种形态类型，它们出现在巴西大西洋森林内的山脉中，可能代表未描述的物种。在本研究中，我们采用 GLS 概念来评估 H. stella 是否为单一物种，其中我们将遗传结构和形态不连续性视为物种定界的证据。我们将基于 ISSR 的种群遗传学和形态测量学应用于 12 个 H. stella 种群，代表其主要地理范围内的所有形态类型。种群遗传学揭示了三个遗传结构组（ΦST > 0.22），每个组与不同的山脉区域相关。形态计量学表明遗传结构组之间存在显着的（p < 0.001）形态差异，但并非所有传统的叶形态类型。基于遗传结构和形态不连续性之间的一致性，我们在复合体中识别出三个物种，H. alpina、H. Palacea 和 H. quinqueradiata，并提供了它们应有的分类处理。但并非适用于所有传统的叶形态类型。基于遗传结构和形态不连续性之间的一致性，我们在复合体中识别出三个物种，H. alpina、H. Palacea 和 H. quinqueradiata，并提供了它们应有的分类处理。但并非适用于所有传统的叶形态类型。基于遗传结构和形态不连续性之间的一致性，我们在复合体中识别出三个物种，H. alpina、H. Palacea 和 H. quinqueradiata，并提供了它们应有的分类处理。