Systematics Of Primulina Sensu Lato (Gesneriaceae)

To clarify phylogenetic relationships among Primulina sensu lato(s.l.)and related allies,sequences from the internal transcribed spacer(ITS)of nuclear ribosomal DNA and two intergenic regions(trn L-F,atp B-rbc L)of chloroplast DNA for 138 taxa were used individually and combined to conduct Parsimony,Maximum-Likelihood and Bayesian Inference phylogenetic analyses,combined with morphological data.The results indicate that Chirita sect.Gibbosaccus is,together with Chiritopsis and two species of Wentsaiboea,included in the originally monotypic and now enormously expanded genus Primulina;The species of Chirita sect.Gibbosaccus,Chiritopsis,Primulina,and Wentsaiboea form a monophyletic group that is sister to a strongly supported clade comprising 3 taxa of Petrocodon,Calcareoboea and Didymocarpus hancei;Chirita sect.Chirita is closely related to Chirita sect.Microchirita but distantly related to Chirita sect.Gibbosaccus;Chirita and associated genera(Chiritopsis,Wentsaiboea,Petrocodon,Didymocarpus,Calcareoboea,Deinocheilos,Ancylostemon,Tremacron,Oreocharis,Briggsia)are not monophyletic;Taxonomic treatment of Primulina s.l.is congruent with previous works(Wang et al.,2011;Weber et al.,2011);Further study is needed to reveal the phylogenetic position of Chirita sect.Microchirita,Chirita sect.Chirita,Briggsia,Oreocharis and Petrocodon.