Phylogeny and systematics of the tribe Sonerileae (Melastomataceae) in Africa: A revised taxonomic classification

Abstract

The tribe Sonerileae in tropical Africa and Madagascar is a morphologically diverse lineage that consists of 239 species in 10 genera. In this study, we present the first in-depth phylogenetic analysis of African Sonerileae to test monophyly of the currently recognized genera. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using sequence data from two nuclear (nrITS and nrETS) and three plastid loci (accD-psaI, ndhF and psbK-psbL). Sampling consisted of 140 accessions including 64 African, 27 Malagasy, 46 Asian, and three neotropical Sonerileae together with a broad outgroup sampling (105 spp.). Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches, and a careful reassessment of morphological characters was carried out. Our results neither support the monophyly of the Old World nor African Sonerileae. The monospecific African genus Benna is partially supported as sister to Phainantha, one of the basal neotropical lineages, while African and Malagasy Medinilla are nested among the SE Asian genera. Gravesia (116 spp.), the most species-rich and morphologically diverse genus in Madagascar, is recovered as monophyletic. The African genera of Sonerileae Calvoa, Dicellandra, and Preussiella form wellsupported clades. In contrast, Amphiblemma (including Amphiblemma molle) and Cincinnobotrys s.l. (including Cincinnobotrys felicis) are not monophyletic. To accommodate the caulescent C. felicis we propose reinstatement of the monospecific genus Bourdaria. For the distinctive A. molle a new genus Mendelia is described. Calvoa hirsuta is designated here as the type of genus Calvoa, lectotypes are designated for Medinilla engleri and Veprecella lutea, and a neotype is designated for Preussiella kamerunensis.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of <i>Medinilla tapete-magicum</i> (Melastomataceae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia

“…The utilization of multiple markers in nuclear and chloroplast DNA barcoding has not yet resolved the phylogenetic issues in Medinilla, as observed in Kartonegoro et al (2021). Furthermore, Kartonegoro et al (2021) and Veranso-Libalah et al (2022) reported that Medinilla was polyphyletic, thus requiring further intensive molecular research. The complete sequences of chloroplast ge-nomes offer a high resolution in reconstructing phylogenetic between species (Li et al 2022) and proven effective in addressing challenging phylogenetic inquiries, as an example the genus Pseudodissochaeta (Zhou et al 2019).…”

“…Out of 380 species of Medinilla sequences, only 9 species with complete plastome are now available in the GenBank, indicating that chloroplast genome data for Medinilla is still limited (Veranso-Libalah et al 2022). Medinilla tapete-magicum Cámara & Leret & Veldk.…”