Phylogenetic relationships in family Magnoliaceae inferred from ndhF sequences

the ndhF sequences of 99 taxa, representing all sections in extant Magnolia ceae, were analyzed to address phylogenetic questions in the family. Magnol ia macrophylla and M. dealbata, North American species of Magnolia section Rytidospermum, are placed at the base in the subfamily Magnolioideae althou gh its supporting value is low. In the remaining taxa. several distinctive lineages are recognized: (1) Magnolia, the biggest genus in the family, is not monophyletic; (2) Michelia, including section Maingola of Magnolia subg enus Magnolia, is closely related with Elmerrillia and sections Alcimandra and Aromadendron of Magnolia subgenus Magnolia; (3) the associates of Miche lia are grouped with Magnolia subgenus Yulania and section Gynopodium of Ma gnolia subgenus Magnolia; (4) Pachylarnax forms a clade with sections Mangl ietiastrum and Gynopodium of Magnolia: (5) a well-supported Manglietia clad e is recognized; (6) Caribbean species of section Theorhodon of Magnolia su bgenus Magnolia, which are section Splendentes sensu Vazquez-Garcia, are cl osely allied with New World members of Magnolia subgenus Talauma: and (7) s ection Rytidospermum of Magnolia subgenus Magnolia and subgenus Talauma are polyphyletic. The separated clades in the molecular tree are considerably different from traditional taxonomic dispositions in the family. The molecu lar data strongly suggest that a taxonomic realignment of infrafamilial del imitations and compositions should be considered.