Abstract
The 13 genera of Berberidaceae are investigated morphologically and cladistically in order to examine the phylogenetic relationships among the extant taxa. Cladistic analysis of 59 morphological characters using PAUP resulted in one most parsimonious tree. In the present paper main emphasis is put on inflorescence morphological features, which contributes eight characters to the current data matrix. The analysis resulted in four major clades. Nandina has a basal position, and the next clade includes Berberis and Mahonia. Ranzania is sister genus to Jeffersonia, Diphylleia/Podophyllum and Leontice/Bongardia. These all form the sister group to a clade in which Achlys is sister taxon to Epimedium/Vancouveria. Various morphological characters suggest that Caulophyllum irrespective of its position in the most parsimonious tree is sister group to Nandina.
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