Beesia Research Articles

Phylogeny and Circumscription of Tribe Actaeeae (Ranunculaceae)

Abstract The phylogenetic positions of the genera Beesia and Eranthis were investigated with respect to seven species in two genera, representing the tribe Actaeeae and five species in five other Ranunculaceae genera as outgroup. Maximum parsimony analyses were performed separately on nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS, plastid trnL-F, and combined DNA sequence data. In these analyses the positions of both Beesia and Eranthis were well supported within the tribe Actaeeae by each analysis and Beesia calthifolia was sister to Anemonopsis macrophylla on a strongly supported clade. Tribe Actaeeae is redefined to include Actaea, Anemonopsis, Beesia, and Eranthis. Communicating Editor: John V. Freudenstein