Phylogenetic relationships in tribe Lepidieae (Brassicaceae) based on chloroplast DNA restriction site variation

Tribal and subtribal boundaries within the Brassicaceae are often artificia lly drawn. Most of the currently recognized tribes and subtribes are separa ted by only a few morphological characters. Furthermore, these characters a re variable even within genera, or they conflict with one another in their distribution patterns, resulting in controversial classification systems. T herefore, tribes and subtribes as traditionally delimited may not reflect n atural groups. Up to now no cladistic analysis has been performed in tribe Lepidieae. In the current study, we have analyzed restriction site variatio n of chloroplast DNA among 41 species representing 19 genera to get insight s into phylogenetic relationships within the Lepidieae. Phylogenetic lineag es derived from our chloroplast data were critically compared with the trad itional concepts. Our chloroplast DNA phylogeny most easily supports the cl assification of genera in the system of Hayek with some modifications.