Gagea sect. Incrustatae Levichev

Zarrei, Mehdi, Wilkin, Paul, Ingrouille, Martin J. & Chase, And Mark W., 2011, A revised infrageneric classification for Gagea Salisb. (Tulipeae; Liliaceae): insights from DNA sequence and morphological data, Phytotaxa 15, pp. 44-56 : 48

Gagea sect. Incrustatae Levichev

Gagea circumplexa Vvedensky (1952: 28) and G. dayana Chodat & Beauverd (1932: 8) were the two species of this section included in analyses of molecular data (nrITS and plastid) by Zarrei et al. (2009). These two species grouped with other members of the G. reticulata complex in G. sect. Platyspermum (clade C, Figure 4 in Zarrei et al. 2009). They fell in different subclades in clade C. Gagea circumplexa was included by Peterson et al. (2008) and was placed within their clade A (G. sect. Platyspermum ). No species from this section were included in anatomical studies, but G. circumplexa was included in palynological studies ( Zarrei & Zarre 2005). Based on palynomorphological data, the separate placement of this species is not supported. This section should also be included G. sect. Platyspermum s.l.

In summary, all taxa of clade C should be redefined as G. sect. Platyspermum , including G. sect. Platyspermum sensu Levichev (1990: 231) , G. sect. Incrustatae, G. sect. Graminifoliae and probably G. sect. Bulbiferae. An umbellate inflorescence, flattened seeds, a fairly trilobed stigma, as well as a reticulate to fibrous-reticulate bulb tunic are all putative synapomorphies for this section. Although most species of this section possess a pentangular outline in transverse sections of basal leaves, collenchyma under epidermis, and sclerenchymatous tissues, these are not shared by all taxa. Gagea calcicola Zarrei & Wilkin (2010b: 90) is an example of a species in this section with atypical anatomical characters ( Zarrei et al. 2010b, d).