title: Phylogenetic relationships within Chamaecrista sect. Xerocalyx (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae) inferred from the cpDNA trnE-trnT intergenic spacer and nrDNA ITS sequences.
abstract: Chamaecrista belongs to subtribe Cassiinae (Caesalpinioideae), and it comprises over 330 species, divided into six sections. The section Xerocalyx has been subjected to a profound taxonomic shuffling over the years. Therefore, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis using a cpDNA trnE-trnT intergenic spacer and nrDNA ITS/5.8S sequences from Cassiinae taxa, in an attempt to elucidate the relationships within this section from Chamaecrista. The tree topology was congruent between the two data sets studied in which the monophyly of the genus Chamaecrista was strongly supported. Our analyses reinforce that new sectional boundaries must be defined in the Chamaecrista genus, especially the inclusion of sections Caliciopsis and Xerocalyx in sect. Chamaecrista, considered here paraphyletic. The section Xerocalyx was strongly supported as monophyletic; however, the current data did not show C. ramosa (microphyllous) and C. desvauxii (macrophyllous) and their respective varieties in distinct clades, suggesting that speciation events are still ongoing in these specimens.
authors: Laboratório de Citogenética e Genética Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors: Davi Coe
authors: DC
authors: Torres
authors: João Paulo Matos Santos
authors: JP
authors: Lima
authors: Afrânio Gomes
authors: AG
authors: Fernandes
authors: Edson Paula
authors: EP
authors: Nunes
authors: Thalles Barbosa
authors: TB
authors: Grangeiro