Biogeography after Burbidge

Abstract

The contributions of Nancy Burbidge and Leon Croizat to an understanding of Australian phytogeography are summarised and compared. The focus of systematics on relationship and nodes of cladograms is outlined as the basis of modern cladistic biogeography. It is argued that development of explicit analytical methods for the discovery of general area cladograms has been hindered by lack of recognition of geographic paralogy—evidenced by duplication or overlap in geographic distribution of taxa related at a node in a cladogram. A new method, subtree analysis, which recognises and eliminates paralagous nodes, and often inconsistencies, is illustrated with examples from the Australian flora. General patterns are congruent with conclusions of Burbidge and Croizat.

Paper Presented as the 1996 Nancy Burbridge Memorial Lecture.