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A molecular phylogenetic study of Hemsleya (Cucurbitaceae) based on ITS, rpl16, trnH-psbA, and trnL DNA sequences

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Abstract

This paper presents the first molecular phylogeny of the genus Hemsleya using nuclear ITS and plastid trnH-psbA, rpl16, and trnL DNA sequences to examine the relationships among Hemsleya species. Phylogenetic relationships were elucidated using a combined analysis of all four datasets, however, the number of parsimony-informative characters was still insufficient to resolve all relationships. Parsimony and Bayesian trees were highly congruent. Twenty-three species of Hemsleya split into two major clades corresponding to two subgenera, i.e., subg. Graciliflorae and subg. Hemsleya. These results are partly in agreement with Li’s sectional classification. However, the molecular data are inconsistent with Li’s classification at the subsectional level. The molecular phylogeny revealed a striking overall correlation between the phylogenetic relationships of the species and their geographical distribution. The Kangdian ancient landmass could be the center of origin of the genus.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program, grant no. 2007CB411601) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 40830209). The authors are extremely grateful to J.K. Triplett (Iowa State University), Dr. Lian-Ming Gao, Dr. Ting-Shuang Yi, and Dr. Jin-Mei Lu (KIB) for their valuable comments to help improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650204, Kunming, Yunnan, China

    Hong-Tao Li, Jun-Bo Yang, De-Zhu Li & Amin Shah

  2. The Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China

    Hong-Tao Li

  3. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK

    Michael Möller

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  1. Hong-Tao Li
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  3. De-Zhu Li
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Correspondence to De-Zhu Li.

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Li, HT., Yang, JB., Li, DZ. et al. A molecular phylogenetic study of Hemsleya (Cucurbitaceae) based on ITS, rpl16, trnH-psbA, and trnL DNA sequences. Plant Syst Evol 285, 23–32 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-009-0252-y

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