ISHS Acta Horticulturae 413: II International Symposium on Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants
TAXONOMIC PROBLEMS OF CULTIVATED LIRIOPOGONS |
| Author: | Paul R. Fantz |
| Keywords: | Liriope, ophiopogon, Convallariaceae, ornamentals |
| Abstract:
Liriopogons (Liriope, Ophiopogon) are versatile landscape plants with a complexity of taxonomic problems. A taxonomic revision of liriopogons cultivated in the United States is needed; one that includes an inventory of taxa, quantitative descriptions of species and cultivars, keys and other aids for segregation and identification of taxa, documentation of taxa with vouchers deposited in herbaria, and establishment of a living germplasm collection that can serve as a standard for the nursery/landscape industries. Preliminary data indicates fourteen morphologically defined species in cultivation in the United States. Current analysis of germplasm indicated nearly 17% of accessions misidentified to genus and nearly 36% misidentified to species. Several cultural practices utilized by nursery workers lead to cultivar degradation as reflected by nearly 17% of the germplasm obtained from one source under one cultivar name contained mixed material. | |
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