Molecular and morphological analysis of subfamily Alooideae (Asphodelaceae) and the inclusion of Chortolirion in Aloe

Barnabas H. Daru, John C. Manning, James S. Boatwright, Olivier Maurin, Norman Maclean, Hanno Schaefer, Maria Kuzmina, Michelle van der Bank

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae (Asparagales) currently comprises five genera, four of which are endemic to southern Africa. Despite their importance in commercial horticulture the evolutionary relationships among the genera are still incompletely understood. This study examines phylogenetic relationships in the subfamily using an expanded molecular sequence dataset from three plastid regions (matK, rbcLa, trnH-psbA) and the first subunit of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1). Sequence data were analysed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian statistics, and selected morphological traits were mapped onto the molecular phylogeny. Haworthia is confirmed as being polyphyletic, comprising three main clades that largely correlate with current subgeneric circumscriptions. Astroloba and Gasteria are evidently each monophyletic and sister respectively to Astroloba and H. subg. Robustipedunculares. Chortolirion is shown to be deeply nested within Aloe and is formally included in that genus. Aloe itself is clearly polyphyletic, with the dwarf species A. aristata allied to Haworthia subg. Robustipedunculares. The taxonomic implications of these findings are examined but branch support at critical lower nodes is insufficient at this stage to justify implementing major taxonomic changes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)62-76
Number of pages15
JournalTaxon
Volume62
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2013

Keywords

  • Asphodelaceae
  • ITS1
  • Molecular phylogeny
  • Morphology
  • Nomenclature
  • Taxonomy
  • matK
  • rbcLa
  • trnH-psbA

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Plant Science

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