Molecular Phylogenetics of Alternanthera (Gomphrenoideae, Amaranthaceae): Resolving a Complex Taxonomic History Caused by Different Interpretations of Morphological Characters in a Lineage with C4 and C3-C4 Intermediate Species

Authors

Ivonne Sánchez-Del Pino
Timothy J. Motley, Old Dominion University
Thomas Borsch

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

DOI

10.1111/j.1095-8339.2012.01248.x

Publication Title

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society

Volume

169

Issue

3

Pages

493-517

Abstract

Aternanthera (Amaranthaceae) is a diverse genus (80-200 species) largely restricted to the American Tropics. With Pedersenia and Tidestromia, it makes up the Alternantheroid clade in Gomphrenoideae. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nucleotide sequences of nuclear (ITS) and plastid (rpl16, trnL-F) and morphological characters identify that the capitate stigma of Alternanthera is a synapomorpy within the Alternantheroids. Within Alternanthera, two major clades were resolved, both of which were marked by otherwise homoplasious characters of the gynoecium: Clade A [99% jackknife (JK); 1.0 posterior probability (PP)] with nine species and Clade B (60% JK; 0.98 PP) with 22 species. Four subclades (B1B4), strongly supported statistically, were identified in Clade B. Previous subgeneric classifications of Alternanthera appear artificial in light of our new molecular phylogenetic analyses. Most major lineages are congruently resolved by nuclear and plastid data but some incongruence between the nrITS and plastid phylogenetic trees suggests hybridization may have played a role in the rampant speciation in Alternanthera. Whereas C₄ photosynthesis appears to have evolved in a single clade, the position of A. littoralis var. maritima (C₃) in this clade may be explained by hybrid speciation rather than a reversal from C₄ to C₃. All C₃-C₄ intermediates belong to a different clade that also contains C₃ species, but species limits, including the widely studied A. tenella, are unclear. The clade including A. tenella and A. halimifolia contains most of the species endemic to the Galápagos whereas A. nesiotes, also endemic to the islands, is nested among widespread American taxa. This suggests that the Galápagos radiation of Alternanthera may have arisen from at least two independent colonization events followed by a subsequent radiation in the former lineage. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London.

Rights

Web of Science: "Free full-text from publisher -- gold open access."

Original Publication Citation

Sanchez-Del Pino, I., Motley, T. J., & Borsch, T. (2012). Molecular phylogenetics of Alternanthera (gomphrenoideae, amaranthaceae): Resolving a complex taxonomic history caused by different interpretations of morphological characters in a lineage with C₄ and C₃-C₄ intermediate species. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 169(3), 493-517. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2012.01248.x

Repository Citation

Sánchez-Del Pino, Ivonne; Motley, Timothy J.; and Borsch, Thomas, "Molecular Phylogenetics of Alternanthera (Gomphrenoideae, Amaranthaceae): Resolving a Complex Taxonomic History Caused by Different Interpretations of Morphological Characters in a Lineage with C4 and C3-C4 Intermediate Species" (2012). Biological Sciences Faculty Publications. 267.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_fac_pubs/267