Phylogenetic position and generic differentiation of Epithemateae (Gesneriaceae) inferred from plastid DNA sequence data.

Author(s)
Veronika Mayer, Michael Möller, Mathieu Perret, Anton Weber
Abstract

The systematic position and generic differentiation of the morphologically and geographically outstanding tribe Epithemateae (Gesneriaceae)

was analyzed using the rbcL/atpB-spacer and trnL-F intron-spacer regions of chloroplast DNA. In our analysis Epithemateae

forms a strongly supported monophyletic clade (bootstrap [BS] 5 100%; jackknife [JK] 5 100%; decay index [DI] 5 12) and appears

as sister to the rest of the paleotropical Gesneriaceae (5 subfamily Cyrtandroideae). The paleotropical Gesneriaceae form a monophyletic

group (BS 5 88%; JK 5 85%; DI 5 3) that is sister to the neotropical Gesneriaceae (subfamily Gesnerioideae) plus Austral

Gesneriaceae (subfamily Coronantheroideae) (BS 5 99%; JK 5 98%; DI 5 10). Within Epithemateae Rhynchoglossum is sister to

the remaining Epithemateae (BS 5 97%; JK 5 96%; DI 5 12), in which Epithema is sister to a clade of two genera: Loxonia/

Stauranthera (BS 5 68%; JK 5 64%; DI 5 1), which form, together with Epithema, a sister clade (BS 5 85%; JK 5 83%; DI 5

2) to Whytockia and Monophyllaea. While the support for Loxonia and Stauranthera is moderate, the relationship of Whytockia and

Monophyllaea is very strongly supported (BS 5 100%; JK 5 100%; DI 5 13). Apart from the somewhat surprising (but wellsubstantiated)

isolated position of Rhynchoglossum, the results are in perfect accordance with the relationships worked out earlier on

grounds of architectural and floral characters. Especially remarkable is the predicted coherence between the morphologically and

geographically different genera Whytockia and Monophyllaea.

Organisation(s)
Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research
External organisation(s)
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Conservatoire et jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève
Journal
American Journal of Botany: the journal for all plant biologists
Volume
90
Pages
321-329
No. of pages
9
ISSN
0002-9122
Publication date
2003
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
106008 Botany
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/phylogenetic-position-and-generic-differentiation-of-epithemateae-gesneriaceae-inferred-from-plastid-dna-sequence-data(c8d01fa0-8769-4af1-924d-b1f818bb1d15).html