New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
A phylogenetic analysis of large-subunit (26S) ribosome DNA sequences
suggests that the Corsiaceae are polyphyletic
Ray Neyland
Melissa Hennigan
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA 70609, USA
Abstract Corsiaceae is a small family of mycoheterotrophic
herbs composed of the genera Arachnitis, Corsia, and Corsiopsis.
Due to a lack of DNA sequence data, previous molecular-based phylogenetic
studies have not addressed adequately the position or circumscription of
the family. Because mycoheterotrophy results in extreme vegetative reduction
that may contribute to homoplasy in the form of character convergence, morphological-based
studies that have addressed these issues may be misleading. Traditionally,
Corsiaceae have been grouped with Burmanniaceae and Thismiaceae. However,
other than mycoheterotrophy, there are few characters that support this relationship.
Additionally, the monophyly of Arachnitis, Corsia, and Corsiopsis
has been questioned. The present phylogenetic study, inferred from large-subunit
(26S) ribosome DNA sequences, suggests that Corsiaceae are polyphyletic.
Specifically, Corsia clusters with the order Liliales and Arachnitis
appears as sister to Thismia (Thismiaceae) in a larger clade that
also includes Burmanniaceae.
Keywords Arachnitis; Burmanniales; Corsia;
Corsiopsis; monocot systematics
B02031 Received 3 April 2002; accepted 14 October 2002; published 31 March
2003
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2003, Vol. 41: 1-11
0028-825X/03/4101-0001 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2003
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