Molecular taxonomy of the Australian swamp orchids (Phaius spp.).

Australia's largest terrestrial orchids, the swamp orchids (P australis, P tancarvilleae and P bernaysii) are listed under Schedule One of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992. Development of future conservation programs and recovery plans for these plants requires detailed population genetic studies. However, the current taxonomic status of these species remains uncertain. In this study, a preliminary molecular phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear rRNA gene demonstrated little genetic divergence or genetic structure among these species. This supports their reclassification as a single species. Future work will assess a greater number of individuals from additional wild populations to confirm these results. A comparative study based on random DNA fingerprinting of the Phaius genome is also underway. Together, these data will provide a detailed understanding of the taxonomic status of the genus Phaius in Australia.