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09:40
Novel Sequence Discovery by Subtractive Genomics
Published on: January 25, 2019
Towards resolving Lamiales relationships: insights from rapidly evolving chloroplast sequences
Bastian Schäferhoff1, Andreas Fleischmann, Eberhard Fischer
1Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
BMC Evolutionary Biology
|November 16, 2010
Summary
Phylogenetic analysis of Lamiales flowering plants clarifies family relationships and reveals multiple independent origins of carnivory. This study provides a robust tree for understanding trait evolution in this diverse order.
Area of Science:
- Botany
- Evolutionary Biology
- Phylogenetics
Background:
- The Lamiales order exhibits diverse life strategies, including carnivory, parasitism, and epiphytism.
- Previous phylogenetic studies of Lamiales lacked resolution, hindering evolutionary insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To infer precise phylogenetic hypotheses for the Lamiales order.
- To clarify relationships among lamialean families and understand evolutionary diversification.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis using rapidly evolving chloroplast regions (trnK/matK, trnL-F, rps16).
- Integration of morphological characters to support phylogenetic inferences.
Main Results:
- Resolved relationships among the nine first-branching families of Lamiales with strong support.
- Identified key clades: Plocospermataceae, Carlemanniaceae + Oleaceae, Tetrachondraceae, and Gesneriaceae + Calceolariaceae.
- Confirmed monophyly and isolated position of Linderniaceae; separated Plantaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, and Verbenaceae.
Conclusions:
- Achieved high confidence in deep nodes of the Lamiales tree, enabling evolutionary trait discussions.
- Strongly supported multiple independent origins of the carnivorous syndrome in Lentibulariaceae and Byblidaceae.
- Provided a foundation for discussing the evolution of morphological traits like flower symmetry.
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