PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF THE LARDIZABALACEAE AND SARGENTODOXACEAE - CHLOROPLAST AND NUCLEAR-DNA SEQUENCE EVIDENCE

A combined data set of three genes (atpB and rbcL from the chloroplast genome and 188 nuclear ribosomal DNA) was used to assess relationship s among the genera of Lardizabalaceae and to explore the relationships of the family to Sasgentodoxaceae and other families in the Ranunculi dae (Fumariaceae, Eupteleaceae, Circaeasteraceae, Kingdoniaceae, Berbe ridaceae, and Menispermaceae). Lardizabalaceae and Sargentodoxaceae to gether comprise a monophyletic group. Sargentodoxa; Decaisnea, and Sin ofranchetia, in that order, are basal within the Lardizabalaceae sensu lato. As in previous studies based on molecular and morphological dat a, the 'core' Lardizabalaceae (Boquila, Lardizabala, Akebia, Holboelli a, and Stauntonia) characterized by laminar placentation, is well-supp orted as a monophyletic group. A subset of this clade consisting of th ree Asian genera (Akebia, Holboellia, and Stauntonia) is also a well-s upported monophyletic group.