Infrageneric Classification Research Articles

A sectional classification of Diplazium Sw. (Athyriaceae), based on plastid genomic, nuclear ribosomal, and morphological evidence

AbstractThe twinsorus‐fern genus Diplazium represents one of the most diverse genera within the lady‐fern family Athyriaceae, encompassing over 300 species, with the highest species diversity concentrated in tropical Asia and the Neotropics. Despite recent progress in phylogenetic studies of Diplazium, the infrageneric classification of this fern group remains challenging, particularly in D. subg. Callipteris. In this study, we explored the phylogenetic relationships within Diplazium using plastid (plastome and amplicon sequences) and nuclear ribosomal data, based on an extensive species sampling. Our phylogenetic analyses, using plastid and nuclear ribosomal datasets, congruently support 4 major clades and 12 subclades. Although deep relationships along the backbone were consistently well resolved using plastomes, nuclear ribosomal genomes and three concatenated plastid markers, cyto‐nuclear discordance was detected within subclades of D. subg. Callipteris. Considering our phylogenetic framework, we propose a classification of Diplazium with a particular focus on sectional delimitation. This classification comprises 4 previously recognized subgenera, and introduces 12 newly established sections. Our infrageneric divisions receive additional support from non‐molecular evidence, including stipe scales, leaf architecture, pinna/pinnule shape, indument and venation patterns, sori and spore features, and geographical distributions.

Molecular phylogenetics provides support for the current circumscription of Rodriguezia (Oncidiinae-Orchidaceae) and for a new infrageneric classification of the genus

Molecular phylogenetics provides support for the current circumscription of Rodriguezia (Oncidiinae-Orchidaceae) and for a new infrageneric classification of the genus

A taxonomic monograph of the Eurasian holoparasitic plant genus Lathraea L. (Orobanchaceae)

A taxonomic monograph is presented for Lathraea L. (Orobanchaceae), a genus of holoparasitic plants distributed across Europe and Asia. Plants in this genus are characterised by their underground stems, achlorophyllous scales with internal gland-lined cavities, and, in some species, explosive seed dehiscence. Despite their conspicuousness, no taxonomic treatment of the genus has been written since 1930. Our work draws upon extensive international field data and a comprehensive survey of herbarium specimens. Detailed descriptions are provided for each species, along with full synonymy, distribution maps, and notes on habitat, host specificity, phenology, ecology, ethnobotany and threat risk. We present evidence to consolidate Lathraea into five species, resolving taxonomic confusion. The infrageneric classification is reviewed and a key to species is provided. Species are illustrated with photographs of living and dried material.

The chloroplast genome of Cephalanthera nanchuanica (Orchidaceae): comparative and phylogenetic analysis with other Neottieae species

BackgroundCephalanthera nanchuanica is a terrestrial orchid species and has been red listed as a second-grade protected plant due to its limited distributions in China. Initially classified within a monotypic genus Tangtsinia, this species was later reassigned to Cephalanthera based on morphological and molecular data. However, previous phylogenetic analyses of Cephalanthera using several segment sequences exhibited a low discriminatory power in delineating its relationships.ResultsIn this study, we characterized and comparatively analyzed the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. nanchuanica with those of six previously reported Cephalanthera species. Our findings revealed that the cp genome of C. nanchuanica had the typical quadripartite structure, with a size of 161,365 bp and a GC content of 37.27%. A total of 113 unique genes were annotated, among which nearly half of protein-encoding genes (RSCU > 1) showed a preference in codon usage. No structural rearrangements were observed among the cp genomes of Cephalanthera species, except for C. humilis, which displayed structural alterations due to gene loss, relocation, and inverted repeat (IR) expansion/contraction. The cp genomes of Cephalanthera species were highly conserved, with only a small number of SSRs detected, most of which preferred A/T bases. Comparative analysis of cp genomes indicated that IR and coding regions were less divergent than single copy and non-coding regions and eight mutational hotspots were identified. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the tribe Neottieae was a monophyletic group, divided into five clades. Palmorchis was the earliest-diverging lineage, followed by Cephalanthera. Diplandrorchis was deeply nested within Neottia, forming a clade. Aphyllorchis and Limodorum formed another clade, sister to Epipactis. Within the Cephalanthera clade, C. nanchuanica was sister to C. falcata with a strong support.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the cp genome characters of C. nanchuanica are highly similar to those of other Cephalanthera species, except for the mycoheterotrophic species C. humilis. Although the cp genomes of Cephalanthera species (excluding C. humilis) exhibited conservation in genome structure and sequence, SSR repeats and mutational hotspots were identified, which could potentially serve as as molecular markers for distinguishing Cephalanthera species. The phylogenetic analysis based on the protein-coding genes provided high-resolution support for the infrageneric classification. Therefore, cp genome data will be instrumental in resolving the phylogeny of the genus Cephalanthera.

New insights into the phylogeny and infrageneric taxonomy of Saussurea based on hybrid capture phylogenomics (Hyb-Seq)

Saussurea is one of the largest and most rapidly evolving genera within the Asteraceae, comprising approximately 520 species from the Northern Hemisphere. A comprehensive infrageneric classification, supported by robust phylogenetic trees and corroborated by morphological and other data, has not yet been published. For the first time, we recovered a well-resolved nuclear phylogeny of Saussurea consisting of four main clades, which was also supported by morphological data. Our analyses show that ancient hybridization is the most likely source of deep cytoplasmic-nuclear conflict in Saussurea, and a phylogeny based on nuclear data is more suitable than one based on chloroplast data for exploring the infrageneric classification of Saussurea. Based on the nuclear phylogeny obtained and morphological characters, we proposed a revised infrageneric taxonomy of Saussurea, which includes four subgenera and 13 sections. Specifically, 1) S. sect. Cincta, S. sect. Gymnocline, S. sect. Lagurostemon, and S. sect. Strictae were moved from S. subg. Saussurea to S. subg. Amphilaena, 2) S. sect. Pseudoeriocoryne was moved from S. subg. Eriocoryne to S. subg. Amphilaena, and 3) S. sect. Laguranthera was moved from S. subg. Saussurea to S. subg. Theodorea.

Phylogenomic insights into Neotropical Magnolia relationships

Despite extensive research into the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Magnolia, Neotropical taxa have been neglected. This is partly because their numbers have recently doubled and now account for almost half of the global richness. Therefore, by sampling one-third of all Neotropical taxa their relationships were studied using morphological, nuclear, and plastome data. Two major clades were identified: Clade I, comprising Magnolia sect. Talauma, Magnolia sect. Splendentes from the Neotropics, and the Asian Magnolia sect. Gwillimia; while Clade II included the Neotropical clades Magnolia sect. Macrophylla and Magnolia sect. Magnolia, along with the remaining non-Neotropical sections. Within Clade I, Magnolia sect. Talauma was geographically divided into a northern subclade grouping Mexican and Central American taxa, and a southern subclade comprising South American and Caribbean taxa. Magnolia sect. Splendentes was also dichotomously divided, corresponding to the former Magnolia sect. Talauma subsect. Cubenses and Magnolia sect. Talauma subsect. Dugandiodendron. In Clade II, the relationships within Magnolia sect. Macrophylla and Magnolia sect. Magnolia were unclear, suggesting a species complex in all Magnolia sect. Macrophylla taxa. In total, 25 morphological traits were assessed, and ancestral state reconstructions were carried out. Only the joined clustering of mature follicles was a synapomorphy for the southern subclade of Magnolia sect. Talauma. In conclusion, this highlights the need to re-assess the taxonomic delimitation of certain groups, to update the infrageneric classification of Neotropical clades and to explore morphological traits to support them.

An alternative subgeneric classification of Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Cotyledonoideae) globally: a nomenclatural and taxonomic review, with a new status for K. subg. Pubescentes

In the most recently presented global synopsis of Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Cotyledonoideae), which was published in 2003 by Bernard Marie Descoings (1931–2018), only two sections, K. sect. Kalanchoe [geographically widespread] and K. sect. Bryophyllum [geographically naturally limited to Madagascar, but with some species and nothospecies naturalised elsewhere], were recognised in the genus. Three years later, Descoings changed his views on the infrageneric classification of Kalanchoe when, in 2006, he published the subgenus name K. subg. Calophygia for a rather disparate group of species from virtually across the entire natural geographical distribution range of the genus. In this regard, Descoings built on and expanded the kalanchooid infrageneric concept that Sijfert Hendrik Koorders (1863–1919) put forward for Kalanchoe almost 90 years earlier. Apart from recognising K. subg. Calophygia in 2006, Descoings additionally upheld the autonymic K. subg. Kalanchoe and K. subg. Bryophyllum, both of which he recognised at the rank of section in 2003. The infrageneric classification of Kalanchoe that recognises primary diversity in the genus at the rank of subgenus, rather than at that of section, is now firmly entrenched. Following on from Descoings recognising three subgenera in 2006, the subgenus classification of Kalanchoe has recently been expanded with the publication of a further four subgenus names, in 2018 (K. subg. Kitchingia), in 2020 (K. subg. Fernandesiae), in 2023 (K. subg. Alatae), and in 2024 (K. subg. Pubescentes). The most up-to-date subgenus classification of Kalanchoe is presented here, with five subgenera recognised. With the exception of the geographically widespread K. subg. Kalanchoe, the four other subgenera are naturally endemic to Madagascar.

Molecular Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) Corroborates the Mid-Miocene Origins of Neotropical Savannas

We present a dated and calibrated molecular phylogeny for one of the most characteristic genera of Neotropical savannas, Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae), based on the ETS, ITS, and psbA-trnH markers. We sampled 33 species of Byrsonima and four species of the outgroups Blepharandra, Diacidia, and Pterandra to test the monophyly of the infrageneric classification of the genus. Bayesian inference (BI) analysis was performed for the combined molecular dataset. Seven morphological characters were optimized on the obtained tree. Calibration points derived from a published chronogram for Malpighiaceae were used alongside a relaxed, uncorrelated molecular clock on Beast 1.8.4. Ancestral range reconstructions focusing on four main Neotropical biomes (Cerrado, Atlantic rainforest, Amazon rainforest, and Caatinga dry forests) were performed on BioGeoBEARS. Our phylogenetic results corroborated the monophyly of Byrsonima, but all of its subgenera and sections were polyphyletic, with all morphological characters circumscribing these infrageneric ranks being highly homoplastic. The most recent common ancestor of Byrsonima was widespread in South American biomes at 11.41 Ma, posteriorly diversifying in the Amazon rainforests up to 7.72 Ma, when it started massively diversifying in Neotropical savannas. A few re-colonization events from savannas to rain or dry forests occurred from 2.95–0.53 Ma. These results corroborate the mid-Miocene origins of Neotropical savannas, and future studies should aim to sample Mesoamerican species of Byrsonima.

Anatomical conservatism in the wood and bark of the species-rich Byrsonimoid clade (Malpighiaceae)

Abstract The byrsonimoids include approximately 152 species of trees and shrubs native to the Neotropical region. The clade is monophyletic and consists of three genera: Byrsonima, Blepharandra, and Diacidia. Byrsonima woods are among the most well-known within the Malpighiaceae due to their economic importance. Nonetheless, here for the first time we explore the interspecific stem anatomical diversity of Byrsonima, its similarities and differences to Blepharandra and Diacidia, and how the previously proposed taxonomic circumscriptions for the genus Byrsonima are reflected or not in their wood and bark anatomy. Using a newly reconstructed phylogeny for the Malpighiaceae focusing on the clade Byrsonimoid and a broad selection of species, we conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses to determine how wood and bark traits have evolved across evolutionary time. Our results indicate stem anatomical homogeneity within the clade, particularly in wood traits. On one hand, the presence of septate fibres and prismatic crystals in the rays distinguishes Byrsonima from other members of the clade, but on the other hand, wood and bark traits do not support the classical infrageneric classifications for the genus. The bark in byrsonimoids displays the entire range of variation known for sclerenchyma in this tissue, from cells that can be considered true fibres to fibre-sclereids and typical true sclereids. Ancestral character state reconstructions revealed that radial arrangement, septate fibres, thin heterocellular rays, marginal parenchyma, and prismatic crystals are ancestral traits within the clade, with homoplasy common within the group. These observations demonstrate anatomical conservatism within the Byrsonimoid clade, which might be either related to their proposed recent diversification or a highly effective set of positively selected features.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Hydnora (Hydnoraceae)

SummaryA systematic monograph is presented for Hydnora (Hydnoraceae), a poorly known genus of holoparasitic plants distributed across Africa, Madagascar and southern Arabia. Species of Hydnora are characterised by their underground habit, unusual fleshy flowers and complete absence of leaves or photosynthetic tissue. This is the first detailed monograph of the genus Hydnora since 1935 and is informed by a comprehensive survey of herbarium specimens and literature. Detailed descriptions, full synonymy, distribution maps and discussion concerning confusable taxa are provided for each species, along with notes on ethnobotany, ecology and conservation. We place particular emphasis on the taxonomic value of osmophore geometry and positioning in living and dried material, which are highly consistent within species. We also provide the first detailed assessment of host range across the genus. Hydnora hanningtonii Rendle and H. solmsiana Dinter are reinstated from synonymy, and H. bolinii S.Hatt is newly described here. The infrageneric classification is reviewed and a key is provided for both living and dried material. Species are accompanied by both illustrations and photographs of living and dried material where possible.

Seed morphological diversity of Egyptian Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) and its taxonomic significance

Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae, Allioideae, Allieae) has disputed generic delimitation and species boundaries, compounded by the proliferation of the species' synonyms. This study provides for the first time a comprehensive description of the seed morphology of native, endemic, and near-endemic species in Egypt and addresses the significance of seed traits for infrageneric classification. Twenty-two Allium taxa belonging to four subgenera and six sections were investigated using fresh or dry materials from their mature seeds. Thirty-eight quantitative and qualitative traits of the seeds' dorsal and ventral sides were investigated using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical and multivariate analyses were performed. This work provides the first description of the seeds of 13 Allium taxa, including A. artemisietorum Eig & Feinbrun, A. barthianum Asch. & Schweinf., A. blomfieldianum Asch. & Schweinf., A. crameri Asch. & Boiss., A. desertorum Forssk., A. erdelii Zucc., A. mareoticum Bornm. & Gauba, A. papillare Boiss., A. roseum subsp. tourneuxii Boiss., A. sativum L., A. sinaiticum Boiss., A. spathaceum Steud. ex A.Rich., and A. trifoliatum Cirillo. This study reports for the first time a comparative investigation of dorsal seed surface traits against ventral traits, revealing conspicuous differences for most species and highlighting the most informative diagnostic seed traits for distinguishing taxa. Allium subg. Allium L. has a broader range of variation than any of the other subgenera.

Phylogenetic relationships of Malesian Lady Ferns (Athyrium) provide insight into long-standing species complexes

We conducted a molecular phylogenetic study of Athyrium focusing on species from Java, Bali, and Sulawesi using five chloroplast markers. We sample from type localities to help resolve the application of names which have been applied inconsistently throughout the Malesian floristic area and tropical Asia. We show that A. nigripes is known with certainty only from Indonesia and perhaps Malaysia, corroborating earlier conclusions that the name A. nigripes does not apply to plants from mainland China, or India. Moreover, we show that A. nigripes is closely related to A. pulcherrimum, a narrow endemic from Mt. Pangrango, Java. We also find a large polytomy of species including A. erythropodum from both Java and Taiwan, A. auriculatum, A. brevipinnulatum, and A. mearnsianum, that helps to both clarify species concepts and raises new questions about the application of names. Finally, we show that although the presence of spines and setae do not coincide with a recent infrageneric classification of Athyrium, these characters remain useful for distinguishing large species groups.

A preliminary study of the morphological variation of rhizomes in Zingiber Mill. and its role in taxonomy

The rhizomes of Zingiber are highly diverse and have potential in taxonomy, but their fundamental structure has never been properly understood in connection with an understanding of the sympodial growth form of the whole plant. This study is based on a literature review and on observations of fresh materials of 32 Zingiber species mainly from China, representing all four sections of the genus. An analysis of the sympodial modular growth habit of these plants has recognised that both isomodular and heteromodular growth exist within the genus. The study shows that rhizomes of Zingiber are highly-organised, compound, sympodial structures. By introducing the term rhizome unit, Zingiber rhizomes can be meaningfully described by depicting the morphology of the rhizome units and the relative arrangement of these units to one another. Six morphological attributes of rhizome units (shape, size, direction of growth, colour and number of nodes per rhizome, and length of internodes) and two attributes of their relative arrangement to one another (dorsiventral vs lateral position of rhizome units and the ramification position along the length of rhizome unit) are discussed. A preliminary assessment of variation patterns and the taxonomic value of these characters are presented. Together, these attributes contribute to the overall morphology of rhizomes. The relationship between rhizome structure and the above-ground clumping habit is discussed. The term pseudo-neck is coined to refer to the narrowed basal part that occurs in the rhizome units of some Zingiber species while the thick apical part of rhizome units where the internodes are often shorter than those on the pseudo-neck is called head. Problems with existing terminology for rhizome and plant habit descriptions in Zingiber are highlighted. This study suggests that whether the plane of distichy of leaves is parallel or perpendicular to the rhizome unit, a key character that many previous studies used for subdivision of Zingiberaceae, needs re-assessment, because in Zingiber both states of the character exist. Characters of rhizome morphology of the four sections in Zingiber are discussed, but studies of a larger number of species are needed to better-assess the relevance of these characters to the infrageneric classification of the genus. Schematic illustrations and colour plates of rhizomes from representative species are provided to assist the descriptions and discussions. It is hoped that this preliminary study will facilitate and encourage more comprehensive studies of rhizomes of Zingiber and of other genera within Zingiberaceae. Such work will lead to a better understanding of these structures and help establish a more comprehensive and accurate terminology for them, which in turn will facilitate the taxonomy and identification of the family.

The complete chloroplast genome assembly of Amorphophallus tonkinensis Engler and Gehrmann 1911 from southwestern China

Species in the Amorphophallus genus are important cash crops in many tropical and subtropical Asian countries. Although several molecular markers have been employed to determine relationships and assess genetic variation in the Amorphophallus genus, some conflicts remain in infrageneric classification and evolution. To aid in the phylogenetic research of the Amorphophallus genus, we collected one sample of Amorphophallus tonkinensis Engler and Gehrmann 1911 from southwestern China. We assembled the first chloroplast genome of this species using high-throughput sequencing. The assembled genome was 169,341 bp long with a typical quadripartite structure (GenBank accession number: PP234804). The lengths of the large single-copy region, small single-copy region, and two inverted repeats were 90,705 bp, 15,640 bp, 31,498 bp, and 31,498 bp, respectively. We annotated 129 genes across the chloroplast genome of A. tonkinensis. The phylogenetic trees suggested that the Amorphophallus species distributed in continental Asia split into two main clades. The chloroplast genome reported in our study provided valuable genomic resources for the future phylogenetic research of the Amorphophallus genus.

Unraveling the phylogenetic position of a Korean endemic species Indigofera koreana (Fabaceae) through plastid genome analysis

Indigofera koreana is an endemic species to Korea, yet its phylogenetic position remains unresolved. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed plastid genomes (plastomes) to clarify the phylogenetic standing of I. koreana. We produced next-generation sequencing data for I. koreana and its close relative, Indigofera kirilowii. The plastomes of both species were successfully assembled, measuring 159,517 bp for I. kirilowii and 159,459 bp for I. koreana. Both species shared the same number of 128 intact genes and had identical 35.7% guanine–cytosine content. Phylogenetic analyses utilizing complete plastome and coding sequence–only data, along with 20 other Indigofera plastomes, were conducted to elucidate their evolutionary relationships. Our findings indicate that I. koreana forms a monophyletic group with Indigofera decora, Indigofera carlesii, and I. kirilowii, supported by maximum bootstrap values. Specifically, the phylogenetic tree derived from complete plastome data strongly suggests that I. koreana is most closely related to I. kirilowii. While these results are in line with previously suggested infra-generic classifications, they highlight the need for more comprehensive genomic studies to further unravel the evolutionary dynamics within the Indigofera genus, especially considering the role of polyploidization in species diversification.

Comparative chloroplast genomes of Dactylicapnos species: insights into phylogenetic relationships

BackgroundDactylicapnos is a climbing herbaceous vine, distributed from the Himalayas to southwestern China, and some of the species have important medicinal values. However, the chloroplast genomes of Dactylicapnos have never been investigated. In this study, chloroplast genomes of seven Dactylicapnos species covering all three sections and one informal group of Dactylicapnos were sequenced and assembled, and the detailed comparative analyses of the chloroplast genome structure were provided for the first time.ResultsThe results showed that the chloroplast genomes of Dactylicapnos have a typical quadripartite structure with lengths from 172,344 bp to 176,370 bp, encoding a total of 133–140 genes, containing 88–94 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs and 37–39 tRNAs. 31 codons were identified as relative synonymous codon usage values greater than one in the chloroplast genome of Dactylicapnos genus based on 80 protein-coding genes. The results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that seven Dactylicapnos species can be divided into three main categories. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that seven species form three major clades which should be treated as three sections.ConclusionsThis study provides the initial report of the chloroplast genomes of Dactylicapnos, their structural variation, comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis for the first time. The results provide important genetic information for development of medical resources, species identification, infrageneric classification and diversification of Dactylicapnos.

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of Phlomoides (Lamiaceae subfamily Lamioideae) in China: Insights from molecular and morphological data

Phlomoides, with 150–170 species, is the second largest and perhaps most taxonomically challenging genus within the subfamily Lamioideae (Lamiaceae). With about 60 species, China is one of three major biodiversity centers of Phlomoides. Although some Phlomoides species from China have been included in previous molecular phylogenetic studies, a robust and broad phylogeny of this lineage has yet to be completed. Moreover, given the myriad new additions to the genus, the existing infrageneric classification needs to be evaluated and revised. Here, we combine molecular and morphological data to investigate relationships within Phlomoides, with a focus on Chinese species. We observed that plastid DNA sequences can resolve relationships within Phlomoides better than nuclear ribosomal internal and external transcribed spacer regions (nrITS and nrETS). Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of Phlomoides, but most previously defined infrageneric groups are not monophyletic. In addition, morphological analysis demonstrates the significant taxonomic value of eight characters to the genus. Based on our molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological data, we establish a novel section Notochaete within Phlomoides, and propose three new combinations as well as three new synonyms. This study presents the first molecular phylogenetic analyses of Phlomoides in which taxa representative of the entire genus are included, and highlights the phylogenetic and taxonomic value of several morphological characters from species of Phlomoides from China. Our study suggests that a taxonomic revision and reclassification for the entire genus is necessary in the future.

AdvancingPyrusphylogeny: Deep genome skimming‐based inference coupled with paralogy analysis yields a robust phylogenetic backbone and an updated infrageneric classification of the pear genus (Maleae, Rosaceae)

AbstractThe lack of a robust phylogenetic backbone has posed significant challenges to proposing an infrageneric taxonomic classification of the pear genus,Pyrus, a widely distributed Eurasian lineage of Rosaceae. This issue has been exacerbated by limited informative loci and inaccessible taxon sampling. To address these limitations, we conducted extensive taxon sampling, encompassing 78Pyrusingroup individuals representing 32 species, along with 4 outgroup species. This comprehensive sampling strategy covers a wide range of morphological and geographical variations. To enable accurate phylogenomic inference, we assembled 801 single‐copy nuclear genes and 72 plastid coding sequences from deep genome skimming (DGS) data. Additionally, we employed a tree‐based method for nuclear orthology inference, which led to the generation of three orthologous datasets: one‐to‐one orthologs (1to1), monophyletic outgroups (MO), and rooted ingroups (RT). The results yielded from both nuclear and plastid analyses consistently support the monophyly ofPyrus, and two well‐supported clades, the Occidental and Oriental clades, were recovered in nine nuclear and three plastid trees. Integrating evidence from morphology and phylogenomics, we propose an updated infrageneric classification ofPyrus, which consists of two subgenera:P. subg.PyrusandP. subg.Pashiastat. nov. This revised classification provides a more robust framework for understanding the evolutionary relationships within the pear genus.

Comparative Anatomy, Pollen and Seed Morphology of Two Verbascum Varieties (Scrophulariaceae) and Their Taxonomic Significance

In this study, the anatomical, palynological, and seed micromorphological traits of two Verbascum varieties found in the Southeastern Anatolia Region were investigated. These variations are V. sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. adenosepalum Murb. and V. sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. sinuatum L. Cross-sections from the taxa's roots, stems, and leaves were viewed under a light microscope for anatomical study. The xylem components play a significant role in the taxonomic root portions. The pith area is a broad region in stem sections, and the upper portion of the epidermis cells is encircled by a distinct indented cuticle layer. The leaves' primary vein is represented by open collateral bundles. Pollen grains in Verbascum sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. adenosepalum are tricolporate-tricolpate, prolate-spheroidal, and have reticulate exine ornamentation. Similarly, pollen grains in V. sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. sinuatum are tricolporate-tricolpate, prolate, and have reticulate exine ornamentation. The brown seeds of V. sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. adenosepalum and V. sinuatum subsp. sinuatum var. sinuatum have an alveolate, deep and wide posterior region, a truncated beak, and a prismatic-oblong shape. The ornamentation of the seed coat is made up of irregular polygonal cells that have noticeable and dense vesicles. The importance of a few traits in the Verbascum variety delimitation has been investigated in this study. For the purpose of supporting ancestral traits in the infrageneric classification and helping with genus systematics, some pollen and seed characters which are typically connected to pollen and seed micromorphological and anatomical patterns can be applied.

Comparative Analysis of Chloroplast Genomes for the Genus Manglietia Blume (Magnoliaceae): Molecular Structure and Phylogenetic Evolution.

Manglietia Blume, belonging to the Magnoliaceae family and mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, has great scientific and economic value. In this study, we employed next-generation sequencing followed by de novo assembly to investigate the adaptive evolution of Manglietia using plastid genetic information. We newly sequenced the complete or nearly complete plastomes of four Manglietia species (Manglietia aromatica, Manglietia calcarea, Manglietia kwangtungensis, and Manglietia glauca) and conducted comparative analysis with seventeen published plastomes to examine the evolutionary pattern within this genus. The plastomes of these five newly sequenced Manglietia species range from 157,093 bp (M. calcarea2) to 160,493 bp (M. kwangtungensis), all exhibiting circular structures when mapped. Nucleotide diversity was observed across the plastomes, leading us to identify 13 mutational hotspot regions, comprising eight intergenic spacer regions and five gene regions. Our phylogenetic analyses based on 77 protein-coding genes generated phylogenetic relationships with high support and resolution for Manglietia. This genus can be divided into three clades, and the previously proposed infrageneric classifications are not supported by our studies. Furthermore, the close affinity between M. aromatica and M. calcarea is supported by the present work, and further studies are necessary to conclude the taxonomic treatment for the latter. These results provide resources for the comparative plastome, breeding, and plastid genetic engineering of Magnoliaceae and flowering plants.