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Published on: July 11, 2025
Molecular systematics and morphological character evolution of the Condamineeae (Rubiaceae)
Kent Kainulainen1, Claes Persson, Torsten Eriksson
1Bergius Foundation, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden.
American Journal of Botany
|May 28, 2011
Summary
This study resolves generic relationships within the Condamineeae tribe using molecular phylogenetics. It proposes taxonomic changes, including resurrecting genera and clarifying tribal boundaries within Ixoroideae.
Area of Science:
- Botany
- Systematic Botany
- Molecular Phylogenetics
Background:
- The Condamineeae tribe is part of an early-divergent clade in the subfamily Ixoroideae.
- Previous molecular studies indicated this, but generic relationships within the clade remained unresolved.
Purpose of the Study:
- To further examine the systematics of the Condamineeae tribe.
- To resolve unresolved generic relationships within this early-divergent Ixoroideae clade.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic reconstruction using six cpDNA and one nrDNA region.
- Parsimony and Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo inference were employed.
- Ancestral state reconstruction of morphological characters using likelihood optimization.
Main Results:
- Calycophylleae tribe appears polyphyletic; Hippotideae is monophyletic but nested within Condamineeae.
- Resurrection of genera Holtonia, Schizocalyx, and Semaphyllanthe is supported.
- Bathysa is polyphyletic, Tresanthera is nested within Rustia, and Dialypetalanthus is sister to a Bothriospora-Wittmackanthus clade. Multiple instances of homoplasy observed in morphological traits.
Conclusions:
- A revised diagnosis and delimitation of the tribe Condamineeae are presented.
- Taxonomic proposals include synonymizing Tresanthera and transferring species to a resurrected Schizocalyx.
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