MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE OLD-WORLD REPRESENTATIVES OF PAPAVERACEAE SUBFAMILY PAPAVEROIDEAE WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE GENUS MECONOPSIS

The RFLP-analysis of PCR amplified cpDNA fragments of 42 representativ es of Papaveraceae subfam. Papaveroideae resulted in six most parsimon ious cladograms. The subfamily can be divided into a New World group ( Arctomecon, Argemone, Canbya, Romneya and Platystemon) and an Old Worl d group (Meconopsis, Papaver s.l. and Roemeria) containing Stylomecon heterophylla and Papaver californicum as New World taxa. In the Old Wo rld group neither Meconopsis nor Papaver are monophyletic. Whereas Mec onopsis consists of three clades, Papaver comprises five clades, with Roemeria as sister group to P. sect. Argemonidium and Stylomecon as si ster group to P. californicum. Various lines of evidence suggest that Meconopsis should be interpreted as a paraphyletic base group of Old W orld Papaveroideae which gave rise to a polyphyletic Papaver.