Discoveries in the Cassia tomentella and Samadera bidwillii species complexes provide information for conservation.

Laura Simmons (Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria); Jason Halford (Queensland Herbarium); Gordon Guymer (Queensland Herbarium); Todd McLay (National Biodiversity DNA Library, CSIRO).

The Queensland Herbarium in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria embarked on three Genomics for Australian Plants (GAP) Conservation Genomics projects in 2020 focusing on Gompholobium, Cassia and Samadera. Each project investigated the morphological and genetic distinctiveness of narrow range phrase name taxa or morphological entities compared to widespread described congeners. The combination of morphological and ddRADseq data has successfully been used to provide clarity on taxonomic boundaries and resolve cryptic taxa. This talk will focus on the analyses and results from the Cassia tomentella and Samadera bidwillii species complexes and will discuss the challenges involved in working on these groups, the exciting discoveries and how the results have informed conservation decisions.