Ad. Mitchell et Sj. Wagstaff, PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF PSEUDOPANAX SPECIES (ARALIACEAE) INFERRED FROM PARSIMONY ANALYSIS OF RDNA SEQUENCE DATA AND MORPHOLOGY, Plant systematics and evolution, 208(3-4), 1997, pp. 121-138
Sequence data from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA a
nd data from morphology, cytology and wood anatomy are used to study p
hylogenetic relationships in Pseudopanax. The molecular and non-molecu
lar data are analysed as independent data sets and in combination usin
g parsimony. Results supported the conclusion that the genus Pseudopan
ax is polyphyletic. Pseudopanax species emerge in two major monophylet
ic groups. The Anomalus group contains Pseudopanax anomalus, P. edgerl
eyi, and P. simplex; these species share a common ancestor with Cheiro
dendron trigynum and more distantly with Pseudopanax gunnii. The secon
d major group consists of two smaller groups: the Arboreus group, incl
uding Pseudopanax arboreus, P. colensoi, P. kermadecensis, P. laetus,
and P. macintyrei, and the Crassifolius/Discolor group, including P. c
hathamicus, P. crassifolius, P. discolor, P. ferox, P. gilliesii, P. l
essonii, and P. linearis. Meryta species are close relatives of the Ps
eudopanax Arboreus and Crassifolius/Discolor groups.