PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF DIOSPYROS-KAKI (PERSIMMON) TO DIOSPYROS SPP. (EBENACEAE) OF THAILAND AND 4 TEMPERATE ZONE DIOSPYROS SPP. FROM AN ANALYSIS OF RFLP VARIATION IN AMPLIFIED CPDNA

The relationships among 17 Diospyros species from Thailand, with parti cular emphasis on the relationship of these species to temperate Diosp yros species, including Diospyros kaki, were studied, using 81 cpDNA r estriction site mutations detected in the 3.2- and 2.1-kb regions of a mplified cpDNA and six different length mutations detected in the 2.1- kb region of amplified cpDNA. Parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses were conducted to identify relationships among species. Three temperat e zone species, D, kaki, Diospyros latus, and Diospyros virginiana, we re monophyletic with one subtropical species, Diospyros ehretioides, s uggesting a close evolutionary relationship among them. An immediate c ommon progenitor for D. kaki and D, virginiana is suggested from cpDNA homology and the polyploidized karyotypes of both species. Our result s did not support Ng's hypothesis that Diospyros glandulosa (synonym D iospyros roxburghii) is the progenitor of D. kaki. Two species, Diospy ros rhodocalyx and Diospyros confertiflora, were so distant from the r emaining species that additional study is needed to determine whether they should be placed in the same genus.