Molecular Systematics of Liliaceae — Asparagoideae — Polygonatae. I. RFLP Analysis of cpDNA in Several Asiatic Disporum Species

Abstract

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among 11 species in the genus Disporum were assessed by RFLP analysis of chloroplast DNA and their taxonomic status was re‐evaluated in the light of molecular, karyological as well as morphological data available at present. Among cpDNAs from 17 plants of 11 species, 16 mutations were detected using 14 restriction enzymes and heterologous cpDNA probes. Restriction site data were analyzed cladistically, and a majority rule consensus tree was obtained. Species fell into four groups based on cpDNA, (1) a group containing seven species, D. uniflorum, D. taipingense, D. lutescens, D. sessile, D. kawakamii, D. multiflorum, and D. shimadai; (2) containing one species D. viridescens; (3) containing two species D. smilacinum and D. cantoniense var. skimmense; (4) containing D. leucanthum. Among these groups the first one has two clades with high probability rate. The results suggest that D. lutescens belongs to the “D. sessile group” rather than the “D. smilacinum group”. But, the separation of D. viridescens and D. smilacinum into two groups as revealed by the present analysis is somewhat controversial, since both D. viridescens and D. smilacinum share a number of morphological and karyological characters in common. Intraspecific cpDNA variation of D. sessile was also analyzed.