Corunastylis is a historically recognized genus of about 50 species of orchids, native to Australia and New Zealand, now included in the genera Genoplesium and Prasophyllum.

In 1888, Robert Fitzgerald formally described Corunastylis apostasioides and published the description in Australian Orchids, the first time the name Corunastylis had been used.[1] In 1889, Ferdinand von Mueller changed the name to Prasophyllum apostasioides[2] and in 1989, David Jones and Mark Clements placed it and most other species of Prasophyllum into Genoplesium.[3] In 2002 Jones and Clements moved all the species of Genoplesium back into Corunastylis except for the New South Wales species Genoplesium baueri.[4]

A recent phylogenetic analysis of Prasophyllinae suggests that Corunastylis is paraphyletic, and funding from The Australian Orchid Foundtion is supporting field work and molecular studies to improve understanding of the phylogeny of the subtribe.[5]

Plants of the World Online considers Corunastylis to be a synonym of Genoplesium.[6] All the species in the list below are now considered to be included in Genoplesium, except for Corunastylis obovata and Corunastylis unica, now included in the genus Prasophyllum as P. obovatum[7] and P. unicum[8] respectively.

The genus name Corunastylis is derived from Greek words meaning "a thick stick" and "a style".[9][10]

The following is a list of species formerly included in Corunastylis:

References edit

  1. ^ "Corunastylis apostasioides". APNI. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Prasophyllum apostasioides". APNI. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Genoplesium apostasioides". APNI. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ Barker, R. M.; Bates, Robert J (2008). "New combinations in Pterostylis and Caladenia and other name changes in the Orchidaceae of South Australia" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 22: 101–104. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Molecular systematics of the Australian genus Corunastylis Fitzg. (Prasophyllinae, Orchidaceae)". The Australian Orchid Foundation. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Corunastylis Fitzg". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Prasophyllum obovatum". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Prasophyllum unicum". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  9. ^ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 71. ISBN 9780958034180.
  10. ^ "Corunastylis". APNI. Retrieved 13 July 2016.