Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Boudko, Katya [1], Gillespie, Lynn J. [2], Soreng, Robert J. [3], Cabi, Evren [4], Dogan, Musa [5].

Phylogenetic analysis of subtribe Alopecurinae (Poaceae).

The subtribe Alopecurinae (Poeae, Poaceae) consists of approximately 60 species of pasture and cultivated fodder plants as well as prevalent weeds. The centre of diversity and distribution for these species is the Mediterranean, but quite a few can be found globally. The seven genera currently included in Alopecurinae sensu lato (Alopecurus, Phleum, Beckmannia,Cornucopiae, Limnas, Pseudophleum, Rhizocephalus) share interesting morphological similarities (dense spicate panicles and one-flowered spikelets) that were widely thought to have a common origin. However, recent molecular evidence for three of the genera has suggested that the subtribe may in fact be polyphyletic. To investigate this further, two nuclear (ITS, ETS) and four plastid (trnTLF, trnC-rpoB, matK, rbcL) genes were sequenced and a maximum parsimony analysis was performed in order to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among the species and genera of subtribe Alopecurinae and genera of related subtribes. The results show that Alopecurinae members are intermixed with members of the closely related subtribe, Poinae. The monotypic genus Pseudophleum (originally described in Phleum) is isolated from both Phleum and Alopecurus, but aligns within a clade including Alopecurus and excluding Phleum. Furthermore, the genera Limnas and Cornucopiae resolve as weakly supported sister taxa loosely allied to Alopecurus. A comparison of new molecular and previous morphological results for the two largest Alopecurinae genera (Alopecurus and Phleum) provides evidence for revising their infrageneric classifications, but not dividing them into smaller genera. Overall this work gives insight into the relationships between the genera and species of subtribe Alopecurinae and provides support to the notion that this subtribe is indeed polyphyletic.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
2 - Canadian Museum of Nature, Research Division, Ottawa, ON, K1P 6P4, Canada
3 - National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Biology, Washington, DC, USA
4 - Namık Kemal University, Department of Biology, Tekirdağ, Turkey
5 - Middle East Technical University, Department of Biological Sciences, Ankara, Turkey

Keywords:
Alopecurinae
Poinae
Poeae
Poaceae
molecular
phylogeny
polyphyly.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 15
Location: Franklin B/Hyatt
Date: Monday, July 9th, 2012
Time: 4:15 PM
Number: 15011
Abstract ID:955