PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE GENERA CLADONIA AND CLADINA (CLADONIACEAE, LICHENIZED ASCOMYCOTA)

A cladistic analysis of 44 species of the genera Cladina and Cladonia is presented. Pycnothelia papillaria, Cladia aggregata and C. retipora were used as outgroup taxa. The consensus of all equally parsimonious trees suggests a common ancestral origin for species in Cladonia and Cladina while the genera Pycnothelia and Cladia cluster outside this g roup. The results do not support distinction of Cladina at genus level although it is distinguished as a monophyletic group but within the g enus Cladonia. The current sectional division of Cladonia is not suppo rted. Sections Cocciferae and Helopodium are best supported but even t hese groups as currently delimited seem to in include elements that ar e more closely related to species of the other sections, e.g. C. carne ola of sect. Cocciferae and C. pityrophylla of sect. Helopodium, Secti ons such as Unciales and Perviae seem to be artificial assemblages. In general the evolutionary scheme of the genus seems to be more complic ated than revealed by the current sectional division.