J Syst Evol ›› 2009, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (2): 144-150.DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-6831.2009.00013.x

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Contribution of molecular cladistics to the taxonomy of Rutaceae in China*

Paul Pui-Hay BUT**1 Alice Wing-Sem POON 1 Pang-Chui SHAW 2 Mark P. SIMMONS 3 Harald GREGER 4   

  1. 1 ( Department of Biology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China )
    2 ( Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China )
    3 ( Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA )
    4 ( Comparative and Ecological Phytochemistry, Faculty Center of Botany, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria ) **Author for correspondence. E-mail: paulbut@cuhk.edu.hk; Tel: 852-2609-6299; Fax: 852-2603-5646.
  • Received:2007-11-01 Published:2009-04-02

Abstract: The treatment of Rutaceae in the Chinese flora chose to follow Engler in recognizing Rutoideae and Toddalioideae as two separate subfamilies. Morphological and chemical comparisons, however, suggested grouping those two subfamilies in one subfamily, Rutoideae. This move has received support from molecular phylogenetic analyses, which also showed that the Chinese taxa in Euodia should be placed in Tetradium and Melicope following Hartley. Investigations into the chemistry and molecular phylogeny of Murraya also indicated that the species in the section Bergera without yuehchukene should be removed from Murraya. These findings clearly show the value of molecular cladistics to the taxonomy of Rutaceae in China and also directions for further investigations.

Key words: Bergera, Euodia, Melicope, Murraya, Rutaceae, Rutoideae, Tetradium, Toddalioideae