On the morphology and molecular basis of segregation of <i>Ceriops zippeliana</i> and <i>C. decandra</i> (<i>Rhizophoraceae</i>) from Asia

Abstract

InTRoduCTIonThe mangrove flora of the world consists of around 84 species, 36 genera in 26 families (Saenger 2002).Among the members, the pan-tropical family Rhizophoraceae R.Br.comprising 16 genera and about 120 species of evergreen trees and shrubs (Hou 1958), is the richest mangrove family with four exclusively mangrove genera with 16 species (Saenger 2002).A detailed study of this family showed that an additional mangrove species could be included and possibly more new taxa may be added (Sheue 2003).Ceriops Arn. is one of the mangrove genera of Rhizophoraceae with a widespread geographical range from eastern Africa, throughout tropical Asia, northern Australia to Melanesia, Micronesia and southern China (Hou 1958, Tomlinson 1986, Duke 2006, Hogarth 2007).The species are typically constituents of the inner mangroves, often forming pure stands on better drained sites or becoming stunted in exposed and highly saline sites, within the reach of occasional tides (Hou 1958).Although Ceriops is a small genus with two species recognized by Hou (1958), some 20 names have been synonymized, which gave rise to the likelihood that certain taxonomic features may have been ignored or misapplied as the result of its complicated taxonomic history.Currently three species of Ceriops are widely accepted, namely C.