We present most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of 196 accessions of Lilium representing 83 species and 14 varieties of Lilium and three outgroup genera (Cardiocrinum, Notholirion, and Fritillaria) to investigate infrageneric relationships within Lilium as well as to determine the origin and evolution of Korean species of Lilium. We used the internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA and phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference identified several major lineages within Lilium. Only one section, Martagon, turned out to be monophyletic in the study. Three sections, Archelirion, Liriotypus, and Pseudolirium, are not monophyletic because two, one, and two species in each section were placed in other lineage, respectively. Two major lineages of section Leucolirion were confirmed in this study, and as several previous studies suggested, section Sinomartagon is highly polyphyletic. The origin of Lilium hansonii, a Korean endemic to Ullung Island, is perplexing given the fact that it has ribotype of Martagon, while its cpDNA haplotype is similar to Sinomartagon. The origin of another endemic, Lilium amabile, is equally elusive and additional phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies will shed light on their evolutions in Korea. We determined that Lilium callosum var. flavum originated from L. callosum in Southern Korea.

To elucidate the evolution of epiphytes in Liparis section Liparis, we examined the phylogenetic relationships of 16 species by using internal transcribed spacer regions of 18S-26S nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) and three chloroplast DNA regions (trnS-trnG spacer, trnL with trnL-trnF spacer, and partial matK). Results showed that the epiphytic L. fujisanensis is sister to the terrestrial L. koreana and L. kumokiri, while another epiphyte, L. truncata, is sister to the terrestrial L. krameri. Therefore, the two epiphytic species evolved from terrestrial species independently in section Liparis. Comparative seed morphology revealed that the epiphytes have larger embryos than their closely related terrestrial counterparts. A similar trend toward the increase of embryo size in the two epiphytic species belonging to closely related, but distinct clades suggests that the large embryo may have an advantage in the epiphytic lifestyle. The two epiphytic species share another character state, smaller air spaces in the seed than that of closely related terrestrial species, suggesting possible low dispersibility of the epiphytes.

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To reappraise the taxonomic status of two Korean endemic plants, Eranthis byunsanensis and Eranthis pungdoensis, we analyzed five taxa of that genus plus three outgroup genera (Cimicifuga, Anemonopsis, and Anemone). In all, 52 representative accessions were examined for nrDNA (ITS) and 43 accessions for cpDNA (trnH-psbA, rps16, trnL, and trnLF). In the ITS region, all of the aligned sequences from E. byunsanensis had the same ribotype as from E. pungdoensis. For the ITS phylogeny, E. pungdoensis could not be distinguished from E. byunsanensis. However, the clade of E. byunsanensis, including E. pungdoensis, was separated from Eranthis pinnatifida of Japan, which has a distinct ribotype and forms a sister group. In our cpDNA analysis, E. byunsanensis showed paraphyly, and the clade of E. pungdoensis was nested within the E. byunsanensis clade. Haplotypes of each population of E. byunsanensis were highly variable, and TCS analysis of that species implied that the Jeju population is ancestral. Moreover, the cp-group of E. pungdoensis was separated from the other cp-groups by five substitutions and five indels. Therefore, based on these DNA data and TCS analysis, we advise that the taxonomic status of E. pungdoensis be treated as E. byunsanensis B. Sun var. pungdoensis (B.U. Oh) S.H. Yeau, C.S. Lee & N.S. Lee, stat. nov.

Two new species of Liparis Rich. (Orchidaceae) from Korea are described: Liparis yongnoana and Liparis pterosepala. Liparis yongnoana is similar to plants called as L. japonica and L. makinoana in having an anther cap with a beaked apex and a weakly reflexed labellum. However, L. yongnoana can be distinguished from them by a presence of a narrowly elliptic line on a labellum, a less emarginated apex of a more reflexed labellum, a short column, and a few flowers. L. pterosepala is similar to Liparis kumokiri, Liparis koreojaponica, and Liparis fujisanensis in having an anther cap with a mucronate apex and an excessively reflexed labellum. But L. pterosepala can be distinguished from the three similar taxa by its wide sepals and its early flowering time. Based on the molecular data using nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cpDNA regions (matK, trnS-trnG, trnL with trnL-trnF), L. yongnoana has five autapomorphic substitutions in ITS region and four substitutions and one deletion in cpDNA. Another new taxon, L. pterosepala, has one autapomorphy in ITS and cpDNA regions, respectively. A molecular phylogeny also indicates that L. yongnoana is close to plants called as L. japonica and L. makinoana, and L. pterosepala is close to L. kumokiri, L. koreojaponica, and L. fujisanensis.