Bush Blitz collections and iNaturalist observations assist the recognition of a new species from New South Wales, Lomandra briggsiana (Asparagaceae)

Abstract

A new species of Lomandra Labill., Lomandra briggsiana R.L.Barrett & T.C.Wilson, is described from the Great Dividing Range and Western Slopes of New South Wales. The new species has affinity to the widespread south-eastern Australian species Lomandra multiflora (R.Br.) Britten, and to L. decomposita (R.Br.) Jian Wang ter & A.R.Bean and Lomandra ramosissima Jian Wang ter from Queensland. It has previously been included under L. multiflora as a ‘terete-leaved’ form in the Flora of New South Wales and recognised as Lomandra sp. Oxley Wild Rivers (T.M. Collins 924) on PlantNET. While the taxon has been known for some time, many of the existing collections are sterile or have only immature or old inflorescences present, and all but one of the collections represent only a single sex. Formal description has been prompted by the collection of fertile material during a Bush Blitz expedition in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and good-quality photographs of flowering material posted on iNaturalist.