Jh. Li et al., Phylogenetic relationships of the Hamamelidaceae inferred from sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, AM J BOTANY, 86(7), 1999, pp. 1027-1037
Intergeneric relationships in the Hamamelidaceae have long been controversi
al. In this study, sequences of the internal transcribed spacers of nuclear
ribosomal DNA were used to reconstruct the phylogeny for the Hamamelidacea
e. Three major clades were recognized in the ITS-based phylogenetic tree: (
1) Mytilaria-Exbucklandia-Rhodoleia, (2) Disanthus, and (3) the Hamamelidoi
deae. Within the Hamamelidoideae there were three well-supported lineages:
(1) Corylopsis-Loropetalum-Tetrathyrium-Maingaya-Matudaea, (2) Eustigmateae
sensu Endress, plus Molinadendron-Dicoryphinae, and (3) Hamamelis-Fothergi
lleae sensu Endress, excluding Matudaea and Molinadendron. The Exbucklandio
ideae sensu Endress were not monophyletic, nor were the tribes in the Hamam
elidoideae in their current circumscriptions except for the Corylopsideae.
Strap-shaped petals, apetaly, and wind pollination have evolved three times
independently in the Hamamelidaceae s.s. (Hamamelidaceae minus Altingioide
ae), suggesting that homoplasy should be considered in future classificatio
ns of the family.