title: Generic delimitation and relationships in Ebenaceae sensu lato: evidence from six plastid DNA regions.
abstract: Phylogenetic relationships of the pantropical family Ebenaceae s.l. were investigated using plastid DNA sequence data from six regions: atpB, matK, ndhF, trnK intron, trnL intron, and trnL-trnF spacer. Sampling included representatives of all currently recognized genera of Ebenaceae, Diospyros, Euclea, and Lissocarpa, and nearly all taxa that were previously recognized at the generic level, e.g., Cargillia, Gunisanthus, Maba, Macreightia, Royena, and Tetraclis. Our results strongly support monophyly of Ebenaceae s.l. and demonstrate that the previous infrafamilar classifications of the family do not circumscribe monophyletic groups. A new infrafamilial classification based on a phylogenetic approach is proposed here and consists of two subfamilies, Lissocarpoideae and Ebenoideae, and four genera, Lissocarpa, Euclea, Royena, and Diospyros. Relationships and potential synapomorphic characters are discussed and summarized. This study supports a western Gondwanan origin of family and indicates that both vicariant and long-distance dispersal events played an important role in attaining current distributions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030, Vienna, Austria; Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand; Natural History Museum, Burgring 7, A-1010, Vienna, Austria; Laboratorie de Botanique, Centre IRD de Nouméa, BP. A5 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia; and Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK.
authors.forename: Sutee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duangjai
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wallnöfer
authors.forename: Rosabelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Munzinger
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Chase