Davidsonia

Ganders, F., Klinkenberg, B. and Klinkenberg, R. 2003. Taxonomy in Conservation Biology: The Enigmatic Vancouver Island Beggartick. Daidsonia. 14(3):63-70, 81-83

During conservation status report work on Bidens amplissima, many plants were found that resembled B. amplissima but lacked the trilobed leaves ascribed to the species. Herbarium investigations revealed that most plants with this form had been identified as B. cernua because of this lack of trilobed leaves. However, these plants more closely resembled B. amplissima than B. cernua in other leaf and achene characters. Multivariate statistical analysis of morphological characters from herbarium specimens unambiguously separated them into two groups. One group was B. cernua, and the other, including all the unlobed and trilobed-leaved specimens, was B. amplissima. Recognition of unlobed B. amplissima has resulted in an increase in the number of localities for the species, a range extension for the species into Washington State with its addition to the flora of the United States, and loss of its endemic status in British Columbia. This discovery was important for assessment of the status of B. amplissima and has broad conservation implications. Our results highlight the need for careful review of the taxonomy of species, particularly within difficult taxonomic groups, when conducting status assessments. Primary data re-evaluation may be critical where status designation has implications for both landowners and governments, and where conservation and protection policies are presently evolving.