J Syst Evol ›› 2008, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 333-340.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1002.2008.08026

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Sequences of low-copy nuclear gene support the monophyly of Ostrya and paraphyly of Carpinus (Betulaceae)

Jianhua LI1 2   

  1. 1(The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA)

    2(Adjunct Faculty of College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China)
    jli@oeb.harvard.edu
  • Received:2008-02-26 Published:2008-05-18

Abstract: Coryloideae consists of four genera: Corylus, Ostryopsis, Carpinus, and Ostrya. While both molecular and non-molecular data support the close relationship of Carpinus and Ostrya, the monophyly of the two genera has remained controversial. In this study, sequences of the nuclear nitrate reductase (Nia) were used to test the naturalness of the two genera. Ostrya species form a robust clade, supporting the monophyly of the genus. The clade, however, is located between Carpinus cordata and the remaining species of Carpinus, indicating that Carpinus is paraphyletic, and Ostrya has evolved from within Carpinus. Within Carpinus, section Distegocarpus is polyphyletic, whereas section Carpinus is a clade where subsections Polyneurae and Carpinus are more closely related to each other than either is to subsection Monbeigianae.

Key words: Carpinus, nitrate reductase (Nia), monophyly, Ostrya, paraphyly