A Cladistic Analysis of the Velloziaceae

Abstract

A cladistic analysis of the family Velloziaceae is presented. The terminal taxa include those consistently recognized at generic or infrageneric level in the alternative classifications of Menezes and Smith & Ayensu; the recently published genus Burlemarxia is included. Characters were polarized using the family Bromeliaceae. Synapomorphies of the family are the presence of transfusion tracheids in the leaf vascular bundles, a reduced inflorescence and independent dehiscence of all four anther locules. The analysis suggests that the genus Vellozia may be regarded as the sister group of the rest of the family, thus occupying a cladistically primitive position in relation to other genera. The African genus Xerophyta (with Talbotia excluded) and South American Barbaceniopsis form a monophyletic group which is the sister group of the Barbacenioideae (sensu Menezes). Nanuza (Brazil) and Talbotia (South Africa) (both sensu Smith & Ayensu) are independent clades. The classifications of Menezes and of Smith & Ayensu are compared with the cladogram.