J Syst Evol ›› 2010, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (6): 482-489.DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-6831.2010.00099.x

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Molecular phylogeny of Osmanthus (Oleaceae) based on non-coding chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions

1,2Wang-Jun YUAN* 1Wei-Rui ZHANG 1Yuan-Ji HAN 1Mei-Fang DONG 1Fu-De SHANG*   

  1. 1(College of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)
    2(Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)
  • Received:2010-04-28 Published:2010-11-18

Abstract: The phylogenetic relationships of Osmanthus Lour. were investigated using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and non-coding chloroplast regions (psbA-trnH, trnL-F). The two datasets support the conclusion that Osmanthus is polyphyletic, with some species of the subtribe Oleinae nested within Osmanthus. Osmanthus didymopetalus P. S. Green is nested within the clade formed by species of section Osmanthus in two trees. Osmanthus attenuatus P. S. Green, O. yunnanensis P. S. Green, and O. gracilinervis R. L. Lu of traditional section Osmanthus are clearly divergent from other accessions, and do not form a monophyletic group with other Osmanthus accessions. Osmanthus marginatus Hemsl. is embedded in the clade formed by species of section Osmanthus in the ITS tree. In cpDNA trees all species of section Osmanthus are placed in the large clade and all species of section Leiolea formed a group. The taxonomic incongruence among trees for ITS and cpDNA indicate hybridization, as introgression may have occurred among some species of sections Osmanthus and Leiolea. Phylogeny of Osmanthus is discussed in light of molecular and morphological data, and a revised infrageneric classification with three sections (Leiolea, Siphosmanthu, and Osmanthus) is presented. The section Linocieroides is abandoned and united with section Osmanthus.

Key words: ITS, molecular phylogeny, Osmanthus, psbA-trnH, trnL-F.