Chloroplast-DNA Restriction Site Analysis in the Genus Bromus (Poaceae)

Abstract

Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) restriction site variation was examined in 32 species, representing five subgenera, of Bromus (Poaceae). Thirty-seven phylogenetically informative restriction sites were detected. Cladistic analysis of the restriction site data produced a single most-parsimonious tree of 50 steps. The cladogram indicated two major clades within the genus. One clade included B. trinii of subgenus Neobromus and species of subgenus Ceratochloa. The other was composed of subgenera Festucaria, Stenobromus, and Bromus. Within the second clade, species of subgenus Festucaria appeared in three lineages. The second clade also contained an assemblage of species belonging to subgenera Stenobromus and Bromus in a separate lineage. There was very little resolution of relationships in this assemblage since several species appeared individually in separate lineages. The cpDNA phylogenetic hypothesis did not separate species of subgenera Stenobromus and Bromus into well-defined clades as circumscribed by morphology and cytogenetics. The cpDNA tree is in agreement with the phylogenetic scheme based on traditional data in that: 1) subgenera Neobromus and Ceratochloa were the first to diverge, while Bromus and Stenobromus diverged later; 2) within the genus Bromus species with small chromosomes are ancestral; and 3) subgenera Bromus and Stenobromus probably originated from similar ancestors as Festucaria. The tree based on cpDNA data does not support that: 1) subgenera Neobromus and Ceratochloa did not have a common origin; 2) subgenus Festucaria is monophyletic; and 3) subgenera Stenobromus and Bromus are distinct entities. The mean nucleotide sequence divergence values between pairs of subgenera ranged from p = 0.0 to 0.9. These values suggest that cpDNA evolution in Bromus is slow.