Disentangling the phylogeny of bladderworts (Utricularia sect. Utricularia: Lentibulariaceae) based on plastid and nuclear data.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Ficus gasparriniana var. laceratifolia Reveals Discordance Between Morphology-Based Classification and Plastid Phylogeny

This plastome provides a valuable genomic resource and reveals robust discordance between morphology-based classification and plastid phylogenetic placement in F. gasparriniana, providing a foundation for future nuclear-genomic and population-level tests of the alternative evolutionary scenarios underlying this discordance.

Phylogenomics confirm the monophyly of Guzmania (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsioideae) and provide evidence regarding alternative hybridization scenarios involving G. monostachia.

PREMISE We present a phylogenomic framework to clarify the evolutionary origin of Guzmania within the broader Tillandsioideae. The genus represents ~15% of extant diversity in Tillandsioideae and includes the widespread G. monostachia, whose distribution spans northern South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and southern Florida. Populations of G. monostachia have been in decline recently due to habitat loss and fragmentation, with Florida populations-its northernmost limit of the species-particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. Understanding the evolutionary history of these lineages is essential for assessing their genetic diversity and guiding conservation efforts. METHODS We assembled new plastid and nuclear genome references for G. monostachia to construct novel plastome and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data sets. We integrated these data sets with public sequence data to infer phylogenomic relationships and estimate divergence times across Tillandsioideae. We also performed per-site log-likelihood analyses to visualize phylogenetic signal across two discordant topologies for G. monostachia. RESULTS We recovered a monophyletic Guzmania, but many relationships within Tillandsioideae remain unresolved. Notably, phylogenetic analyses revealed conflicting signals about the monophyly of G. monostachia, with some trees placing G. fuerstenbergiana and G. remyi nested within it. CONCLUSIONS Our findings underscore the limitations of large-scale plastid data for clarifying Tillandsioideae phylogenies. Nonetheless, they suggest a possible hybrid origin for G. monostachia and a distinct evolutionary trajectory for Florida populations. Data and insights generated by our study provide a foundation to enable forthcoming genetic diversity studies and future conservation planning for this threatened lineage.

Complete chloroplast genome and phylogenetic analysis of Amorphophallus ochroleucus Hett. & V.D.Nguyen 2001 (Araceae)

Abstract Amorphophallus ochroleucus Hett. & V.D.Nguyen 2001, a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Amorphophallus (Araceae family), is characterized by a tuberous root system, and is renowned for its unique pale-colored inflorescence and distinctive leaves. It is utilized as an ornamental plant in gardens and indoors. However, the genetic and phylogenetic relationships of this species remain largely unknown, leaving unanswered questions about its evolutionary trajectory. For the first time, this study presents the complete chloroplast genome of A. ochroleucus. The results demonstrate that the chloroplast genome spans 172,779 bp with an overall GC content of 35.15%, comprising a large single-copy (LSC) region of 92,449 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 15,596 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions each 32,367 bp in length. A total of 130 functional genes were annotated, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Amorphophallus species formed a highly supported monophyletic clade, with A. ochroleucus showing closer affinity to A. paeoniifolius and A. titanum. The chloroplast genomic data provide a valuable resource for future taxonomic and evolutionary studies in Amorphophallus.

Plastome phylogenomics of the tribe Spermacoceae (Rubiaceae): taxonomic implications and a key to the genera

Comparative plastome analysis and plastomic phylogeny of Moraceae with expanded species-level sampling.

Phylogenetic reconstruction based on complete plastome sequences strongly supported the monophyly of all seven recognized tribes of Moraceae, recovered the non-monophyly of Streblus, and placed Maclura within Chlorophoreae, consistent with recent nuclear and plastid phylogenomic frameworks.

Molecular investigation of the phylogenetic placement of Kartalinia and a revision of Bituminaria (Fabaceae: Psoraleeae)

The genus Kartalinia was described to accommodate a single, obscure species, Psoralea acaulis , based on its unique morphology and karyology. No concerted molecular phylogenetic studies were available for this species at the time, and therefore its phylogenetic position was uncertain. We aim to establish its phylogenetic relationships, using a combination of nuclear and plastid markers, testing hypotheses on its previous placement as a subgenus in Bituminaria . Evolutionary patterns of characters used in taxonomic diagnoses were evaluated to identify synapomorphies for clades. Silica‐dried leaf material representing the morphological and geographical range of Bituminaria sensu lato were used for genomic DNA extractions following the standard CTAB protocol. Sanger sequencing was performed for the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and plastid matK , trnS‐trnG , and trnL‐trnF regions. Additional sequences representing all Psoraleeae genera were downloaded from GenBank and incorporated into our sequence alignments. Maximum‐likelihood phylogenies were inferred using IQ‐TREE, separately for nuclear and plastid gene regions, and concatenation was not performed due to phylogenetic incongruence. Diagnostic morphological characters were mapped on the phylogeny, using parsimony, to unravel their evolutionary patterns. Both phylogenies resolved Kartalinia as sister to the rest of the tribe Psoraleeae, although the evolutionary history of the tribe requires further investigation as previous studies on biogeography and molecular dating excluded sequence data for Kartalinia . This study thus confirms that Kartalinia is distinct from Bituminaria , and other genera in the tribe, and supports the morphological and karyological data used to circumscribe this genus. A taxonomic revision of Bituminaria is also presented, with 17 species recognised and illustrated, including the description of four new species and three new combinations.