A taxonomic revision of the Loropetalum-Tetrathyrium complex and its systematic position in the Hamamelidoideae, based on morphology and ITS sequencedata

Based on analysis of morphological characters and ITS sequences, a taxonomi c revision of Loropetalum and Tetrathyrium is presented. Oliver's merging o f Tetrathyrium under Loropetalum is corroborated. L. subcapitatum, L, indic um, and T. simaoense are reduced to synonymy under L, chinense. E. Asian Co rylopsis is sister of Loropetalum among the 12 genera of Hamamelidoideae st udied, which form four monophyletic clades coextensive with three tribes an d one subtribe of Endress: Corylopsideae, Loropetalinae, Fothergilleae, and Eustigmateae.