A first molecular phylogenetic analysis ofPassiflora(Passifloraceae)

Abstract

Passiflora, a genus with more than 400 species, exhibits a high diversity of floral and vegetative structures and a complex taxonomy, which includes 23 subgenera and many sections and series. To better understand Passiflora's variability and interspecific relationships, the phylogeny of 61 species, classified in 11 of 23 suggested subgenera, was investigated. Three molecular markers were used, the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (nrITS), the plastid trnL-trnF spacer regions (∼1000 bp), and the rps4 plastid gene (∼570 bp). Three major clades were highly supported, independent of the marker and phylogenetic method used; one included the subgenera Distephana, Dysosmia, Dysosmioides, Passiflora, and Tacsonioides, a second, the subgenera Adopogyne, Decaloba, Murucuja, and Pseudomurucuja, and a third, the subgenus Astrophea. We call these the Passiflora, Decaloba, and Astrophea clades, respectively. The position of subgenus Deidamioides is undefined. The monophyly of Passiflora could not be statistically corroborated, and the relationships among the major clades and of these clades with the related genera remain unresolved. Our results indicate that a reevaluation of the monophyly of Passiflora and its infrageneric classification is necessary.

Genetic variability assessment in the genus Passiflora by SSR marker

“…Similarity among the species allocated in group III was also observed in a study conducted by Muschner et al (2003), who used preserved sequences to perform the first study on molecular phylogeny of the genus. The sharing of alleles among these species and the use of loci in preserved regions may have contributed to this grouping.…”

“…Br., and P. mucronata Lam. The work of Muschner et al (2003) used preserved sequences of plastid DNA in order to know the phylogenetic relationships of this genus and corroborated the closeness among these species. The genetic distance between accessions ranged from 0.05 to 0.8, which indicates significant diversity among the accessions analyzed.…”

Taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of Passiflora subg. Decaloba supersect. Decaloba sect. Xerogona (Passifloraceae): contributions of palynological, morphological and molecular studies

“…The molecular phylogenetic analyses presented by Muschner et al (2003), Yockteng & Nadot (2004), and Hansen et al (2006) did not support the classifications into supersections, sections, and series. It was seen in the present study that Passiflora subg.…”

“…Recent phylogenetic studies of Passiflora (Muschner et al 2003, Yockteng & Nadot 2004, Souza-Chies et al 2005, Hansen et al 2006, 2007 have not supported the supersectional, sectional, and series classifications within P. subg. Decaloba proposed by Reichenbach (1828).…”

“…Decaloba sect. Xerogona, which would make it more difficult to draw certain distinctions (Muschner et al, 2003;Yockteng & Nadot, 2004;Zamberlan, 2007).…”