title: A New Classification of Ficus Subsection Urostigma (Moraceae) Based on Four Nuclear DNA Markers (ITS, ETS, G3pdh, and ncpGS), Morphology and Leaf Anatomy.
abstract: Ficus subsection Urostigma as currently circumscribed contains 27 species, distributed in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific, and is of key importance to understand the origin and evolution of Ficus and the fig-wasp mutualism. The species of subsection Urostigma are very variable in morphological characters and exhibit a wide range of often partly overlapping distributions, which makes identification often difficult. The systematic classification within and between this subsection and others is problematic, e.g., it is still unclear where to classify F. amplissima and F. rumphii. To clarify the circumscription of subsection Urostigma, a phylogenetic reconstruction based on four nuclear DNA markers (ITS, ETS, G3pdh, and ncpGS) combined with morphology and leaf anatomy is conducted. The phylogenetic tree based on the combined datasets shows that F. madagascariensis, a Madagascan species, is sister to the remainder of subsect. Urostigma. Ficus amplissima and F. rumphii, formerly constituting sect. Leucogyne, appear to be imbedded in subsect. Conosycea. The result of the phylogenetic analysis necessitates nomenclatural adjustments. A new classification of Ficus subsection Urostigma is presented along with the morphological and leaf anatomical apomorphies typical for the clades. Two new species are described ─ one in subsect. Urostigma, the other in Conosycea. One variety is raised to species level.
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany, Leiden, The Netherlands; Thailand Natural History Museum, National Science Museum, Pathum Thani, Thailand; Institute Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bhanumas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chantarasuwan
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelis C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kjellberg
authors.affiliation: Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rønsted
authors.affiliation: CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Mauritius Herbarium, Reduit, Mauritius.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baider
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany, Leiden, The Netherlands; Institute Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: van Welzen
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D030681:Ficus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005819:Genetic Markers