RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN EUCALYPTUS (MYRTACEAE) USING PCR-AMPLIFICATION AND SOUTHERN HYBRIDIZATION OF CHLOROPLAST DNA

Chloroplast DNA based phylogenetic studies using PCR-amplification and digestion (40 species) combined with Southern blotting (23 species) s uggest that Angophora and some representatives of the Eucalyptus subge nera Corymbia and Blakella form a monophyletic group. The subgenera Eu desmia, Monocalyptus, Gaubaea, Idiogenes, Symphyomyrtus and Telocalypt us appear to form a well defined monophyletic group encompassing most of Eucalyptus, but the exact sister taxon to this group remains unreso lved. The results suggest that subgenera Corymbia and Blakella are par aphyletic and that Telocalyptus should be submerged within the subgenu s Symphyomyrtus.