Phylogeny and biogeography of Spatholobus and allies (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae): Just another case history

Abstract

The genera Butea, Meizotropis and Spatholobus, occurring on continental South-East Asia and the West Malesian Archipelago, are treated phylogenetically with Kunstleria as an outgroup. An analysis of the data matrix containing macromorphological, pollen morphological and leaf anatomical characters resulted in one tree after reweighting the characters. A selection of characters is shown in a cladogram, and the possibility of the influence of a glacial period as the start of the dispersal into the Malesian Archipelago is briefly discussed.