Phylogenetic relationships of Coryloideae based on waxy and atpB-rbcL sequences

Abstract

Phylogenetic studies were conducted for 35 populations of the subfamily Coryloideae (Betulaceae) based on waxy gene of nuclear DNA and atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region of chloroplast DNA. Waxy data analysis suggest that Coryloideae is monophyletic; Corylus is monophyletic and basally branching within the subfamily Coryloideae; Ostryopsis is sister to the Carpinus and Ostrya clade, and the Ostrya is monophyletic (BS=86, PP=99). AtpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region analysis shows that Ostryopsis appeared as the most basal clade within the Coryloideae; Corylus is monophyletic(BS=98, PP=100) and placed between Carpinus-Ostrya and Ostryopsis clade; Carpinus and Ostrya formed a clade with a high support value(BS=100, PP=100). Carpinus sect. Carpinus is monophyletic, whereas sect. Distegocarpus is paraphyletic in the waxy tree. Corylus formed two subclades, but discordance at the infrageneric classification based on morphological characters. In the atpB-rbcL tree, Carpinus and Corylus taxa form a polytomy within the each clade. Results from the two data sets differ mainly in the relative position of Ostryopsis, the monophyly of Ostrya, and the relationships within the Carpinus-Ostrya clade. Further studies are needed for clarify the taxonomic position and the generic limitation.