A Critique of the Taxonomy of Subtribe Celmisiinae (Asteraceae: Tribe Astereae) With New Combinations in Pleurophyllum Hook.f. sens. lat. and Shawia hesperia

This review is of the recently revised circumscriptions of the Pleurophyllum Hook.f. group and Shawia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. of subtribe Celmisiinae, both centred in New Zealand. Recognition of Shawia is supported, and phylogenetic data recover seven well‐supported subclades treated as infrageneric sections. Comments by Saldivia and Nicol (2025) on Shawia virgata (Hook.f.) Sch.Bip. are addressed, and a new combination Shawia hesperia (Heenan & Molloy) Heenan provided for a previously rejected taxon. Pleurophyllum sens. str., Damnamenia Given and Macrolearia Saldivia are weakly supported by phylogenetic analyses and genetic distance values and are most comparable to the lower‐ranked Shawia sections. Morphological characters stated to be diagnostic of the Pleurophyllum group segregate genera are assessed, and several are considered to have been poorly defined, over‐interpreted or exhibit homoplasy. Pleurophyllum is recircumscribed to comprise 10 closely related species in sect. Pleurophyllum (3 spp.), sect. Macrolearia (6 spp.) and the monotypic sect. Damnamenia . This revised concept provides taxonomic and evolutionary equivalence to Celmisia Cass. and Shawia , is consistent with phylogenetic relationships and improves interpretation of morphological and diagnostic characters. Previous attempts to typify names in Pleurophyllum sens. lat. do not follow the rules of the International Code of Nomenclature, and these issues are addressed.