Studies in Annonaceae XXXVI. The Duguetia alliance: Where the ways part

Results of a cladistic analysis of morphological and anatomical data of the Duguetia alliance (Annonaceae) are presented. Several novel characters, or characters so far not incorporated into phylogenetic analyses, are used. P arsimony analysis resulted in two strongly supported clades: a Fusaea clade , comprising Fusaea, Duckeanthus, Letestudoxa, and Pseudartabotrys, and a D uguetia clade, comprising all Neotropical and African species of Duguetia. Support for the past distinction of Pachypodanthium from Duguetia appears t o be absent. Characters used to resolve relationships between and within th e two clades are difficult to polarize by outgroup comparison. It is demons trated that the critical reassessment of classical morphological characters , and the search for new ones, may well advance phylogenetic resolution wit hin Annonaceae.