Deep divergent events in Sapotaceae identifies a new, small subfamily, Eberhardtioideae, restricted to Southeast Asia
Classifications of the pantropical plant family   Sapotaceae based solely on morphology without phylogenetic analyses have   historically recognized between 125 and 53 genera. Modern molecular analyses,   often combined with morphological data over the past 20 years, have   identified three subfamilies (Chrysophylloideae, Sapotoideae, and   Sarcospermatoideae) and 73 monophyletic genera. By using a new developed   protocol, we have sequence 353 nuclear genes by target capture,   which resulted in a robust phylogeny   of the deep cladogenetic events in Sapotaceae. Sarcosperma is confirmed   monophyletic and the first lineage that split off, corresponding to the   subfamily Sarcospermatoideae. The genus Eberhardtia is also found   monophyletic and the second lineage to split off, corresponding to a new   subfamily with unclear limits of species, which here is described as   Eberhardtioideae, a subfamily restricted to Southeast Asia.