Phylogenetic placement and circumscription of tribes Inuleae s. str. and Plucheeae (Asteraceae): Evidence from sequences of chloroplast gene ndhF

DNA sequences from chloroplast gene ndhF were investigated in 15 species in tribes Inuleae Cass. s. str., Plucheeae (Benth.) A.Anderb., and Gnaphaliea e Benth. (Asteraceae) and combined with 90 ndhF sequences from GenBank to e valuate the circumscription of the putative sister tribes Inuleae and Pluch eeae. The data were subjected to phylogenetic analysis using parsimony jack knifing. The results are presented in a cladogram and discussed in comparis on to previous analyses of both molecular and morphological data. The inter pretations of specific diagnostic characters are also discussed. The majori ty of genera from Inuleae s. str. and Plucheeae comprise a monophyletic gro up, sister to the Heliantheae s. l.-Blepharispermum-Athroisma group. The ge nera of the Gnaphalieae belong to a different monophyletic group within the family that also includes tribes Anthemideae, Astereae, and Calenduleae. W ithin the Inuleae-Plucheeae complex, two well-supported subclades were iden tified, one corresponding to the Inuleae s. str, and the second to the Pluc heeae. Three genera, Antiphiona, Pegolettia, and Geigeria, were outside of both tribes and were part of an unresolved polytomy at the base of the Inul eae-Plucheeae clade. Anisopappus, hitherto considered a member of Inuleae s . str., was found to be part of the Heliantheae-Athroisma-Blepharispermum c lade. As discussed, the results of previous phylogenetic analyses, presenti ng Anisopappus as the basalmost taxon of Inuleae s. str., may be due to ina dequate sampling. (C) 1999 Academic Press.