Schulte & Zizka 2008 (Article) Bromelioideae

Multi locus plastid phylogeny of Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) and the taxonomic utility of petal appendages and pollen characters

Author(s):—K. Schulte & G. Zizka

Publication:—Candollea 63(2): 209-225. (2008)

Abstract:—For the first time a molecular phylogeny based on five plastid markers is presented for subfamily Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). The species set includes 40 genera / 81 species of Bromeliaceae representing all subfamilies: Bromelioideae (29 genera / 58 species), Tillandsioideae (6 genera / 8 species) and Pitcairnioideae s.1. (5 genera / 14 species). Basal clades among the Bromelioideae are identified, nevertheless the "Core Bromelioids" comprising the majority of the species display low resolution. The phylogeny obtained makes evident, that the generic concept for Aechmea Ruiz & Pav. and its allied taxa does not describe monophyletic groups. The same holds true for several subgenera of Aechmea. The phylogeny allows the assessment of the systematic value of two characters that have been regarded as systematic valuable for generic delimitation in the (sub)family, 1) the petal appendages and 2) the pollen morphology. Basal Bromelioideae are characterized by sulcate pollen, while the more derived Bromelioideae display three different pollen types and several transitions between the character states.

Keywords:—Aechmea – Mol ec ula r phyl ogeny – Pla st id markers – Character evolution