Myrtaceae revisited: A reassessment of infrafamilial groups

Cladistic analyses are presented of matK sequence data as well as a nonmole cular database for an identical set of exemplar species chosen to represent the core genera or groups of genera in Myrtaceae. Eleven robust clades are recognized on the molecular data. Polyphyly of the previously recognized M etrosideros and Leptospermum alliances is confirmed, and several smaller in formal taxonomic groupings are recognized from among the members of the for mer alliance, i.e., the Tristania, Tristaniopsis, Metrosideros, and Lophost emon groups, The nonmolecular analysis provides only limited resolution of relationships. A degree of congruence exists between the two analyses in th at two separate fleshy-fruited clades, the Acmena and Myrtoid groups, are i dentified, as are the Eucalypt and Tristania groups, and Psiloxylon and Het eropyxis are the first lineages to diverge in both analyses. A combined ana lysis recognized all 11 clades that received strong support from the molecu lar data. A high level of homoplasy is revealed in many of the nonmolecular characters when they are examined against the combined estimate of phyloge ny.