Schubert et al. 2015 (Conference Paper) Pitcairnia

A molecular phylogeny of Pitcairnia (Pitcairnioideae, Bromeliaceae) - Insights from a multi-locus dataset

Author(s):—K. Schubert, N. Wagner, T. Wöhrmann & K. Weising in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—With 399 accepted species, Pitcairnia is by far the largest genus of the subfamily Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae). It also occupies the widest distribution range within the subfamily. The genus is distributed in South and Central America except for Pitcairnia feliciana that is a local endemic on a mountain range in West Africa. No extensive molecular systematic analyses have yet been undertaken in Pitcairnia, and infrageneric relationships remain largely unknown. Here we present a multi-locus plastid phylogeny of the genus, based on sequences from the matK gene, the ycf1 gene and the two intergenic spacers rpl32 ? trnL and rps16 ? trnK . Sequences were assembled for 214 accessions from 148 species, resulting in an alignment of 4,998 base pairs. Altogether 9.23 % of all characters turned out to be parsimony informative, excluding outgroups. The data set was subjected to Bayesian, Maximum parsimony and Maximum likelihood analyses. In the resulting phylogenetic trees, Pitcairnia is clearly monophyletic and sister to the remainder of the subfamily. A deep basal split divides Pitcairnia into two large lineages. Pitcairnia feliciana takes a relatively early branching position in one of the two lineages. The tree topology suggests that its closest relatives are found in Venezuela. Some species form groups that reflect their geographic distribution (e.g. a Brazilian clade and a Caribbean clade), but overall geographical patterns turned out to be complex. An ancient area reconstruction done with RASP suggests the Andes as the most likely origin of Pitcairnia.

Keywords:—Pitcairnia; Molecular Phylogeny; cpDNA.