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Taxonomy, biogeography and evolution of plants
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 23(4)

A phylogenetic study of Pimelea and Thecanthes (Thymelaeaceae): evidence from plastid and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence data

M. Cynthia Motsi A F , Annah N. Moteetee A , Angela J. Beaumont B , Barbara L. Rye C , Martyn P. Powell D , Vincent Savolainen D E and Michelle van der Bank A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Kingsway Campus, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.

B School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.

C Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Australia.

D Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK.

E Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK.

F Corresponding author. Email: molebohengc@yahoo.com

Australian Systematic Botany 23(4) 270-284 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB09002
Submitted: 13 January 2009  Accepted: 15 June 2010   Published: 31 August 2010

Abstract

A comprehensive molecular study, using sequence data from nuclear ITS rDNA and plastid rbcL and matK exons, rps16 intron, and the trnL-F intronic and intergenic spacer, was used to assess the taxonomic status of Thecanthes Wikstr., and to evaluate the relationships within Pimelea Banks & Sol. ex Gaertn. and Thecanthes (Thymelaeaceae). Both genera are Australasian and they constitute the subtribe Pimeleinae, which is characterised by a reduction to two stamens. Previous studies indicated a close relationship among Pimelea, Thecanthes and Gnidia L. species from tropical Africa. We conclude that Pimelea and Thecanthes form a strongly supported clade, with Thecanthes possibly included within Pimelea, although we await further data before formally proposing a series of new taxonomic combinations.


Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the South African National Research Foundation, the Royal Society (UK) and the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. We acknowledge the following herbaria for providing material: CBG, CANB, PERTH, CANU and MEL. MrBayes was run at the Trinity Centre for High Performance Computing (Trinity College Dublin). We also thank the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments on the manuscript.


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