Phylogenetic Relationships of Korean Viola (Violaceae) Based on matK and atpB-rbcL Sequence Data of Chloroplast DNA

Abstract

Phylogenetic studies were conducted ofr 42 populations of Korean viola based on matK gene and atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region of chloroplast DNA. In the matK tree, section Chamaemelanium and Dischidium were formed as a distinct group. Five subsections of section Nomimium were paraphyletic. In atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region analysis, two species of sect. Chamaemelanium were monophyletic, and section Dischidium was placed sister ti subsection patellares clade except for V. keiskei. Five subsections of section Nomimium were also paraphyletic as matK tree. the separate data analyses were incongruent in the relationships among 42 populations, especially for the position of section Dischidium and V. keiskei. The combined analyses of two chloroplast regions showed three major clades; section Chamaemelanium and Dischidium (x=6) formed a sister to subsections Hypocarpae and Trigonocarpae (x=10) clade; subsections Bilobatae and vaginatae (x=10 or 12) formed a clade with V. keiskei; and 19 populations of subsection patellares (x=12) except for V. keiskei were recognized as an independent clade within section Nomimium. Although combined data suggest three major clades of Korea viola, the origins of each clade from outgroup were discordance with previous ITS and trnL-F data.