Molecular systematics and remodelling of Chirita and associated genera (Gesneriaceae)

Abstract

The polyphyletic genus Chirita is remodelled after an extensive molecular phylogenetic study of species assigned to it and to other associated genera. Most of Chirita sect. Chirita and the monotypic Hemiboeopsis are amalgamated with Henckelia sect. Henckelia, resulting in a very differently circumscribed genus Henckelia and the synonymisation of Chirita. The remaining species of Chirita sect. Chirita are accommodated in the revived genus Damrongia. Chirita sect. Liebigia is recognised as the genus Liebigia. Chirita sect. Microchirita is recognised as the genus Microchirita. Chirita sect. Gibbosaccus is, together with Chiritopsis and Wentsaiboea, included in the originally monotypic and now enormously expanded genus Primulina. The necessary combinations are made and a general list showing the present accommodation of the species previously described under Chirita, Chiritopsis, Hemiboeopsis, Primulina and Wentsaiboea is provided.

Chayamaritia (Gesneriaceae: Didymocarpoideae), a new genus from Southeast Asia

“…The sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and plastid trnL-F intron-spacer (trnL-F) for the Didissandra and Henckelia smitinandii group samples were acquired as described in Weber et al (2011a). The newly acquired sequences have been submitted to GenBank (Table 1) and sequence matrices and tree files to TreeBase (http://purl.org/phylo/treebase/phylows/study/TB2: S17032).…”

“…Combinability tests of the two datasets, trnL-F and ITS, for phylogenetic analyses, and calculation of branch support were carried out as in Weber et al (2011a), with the difference in sampling frequency in the Bayesian inference (BI) analysis (every 1000th generation) and the burn-in (250,000 generations, 5 %).…”

“…This species was moved into Henckelia Spreng., even though its relationships were not well understood, largely because no species could be left behind in Chirita when this genus was synonymised under Henckelia. Since Weber et al (2011a) we have had the opportunity to collect new material of Henckelia smitinandii (B.L.Burtt) D.J. Middleton & Mich.Möller and study it much more closely, morphologically and with DNA sequence data.…”

“…Despite a very diverse range in other characters, the possession of a chiritoid stigma was considered diagnostic for Chirita until Möller et al (2009Möller et al ( , 2011 demonstrated that the included species did not form a monophyletic group. The species were divided between redefined genera by Weber et al (2011a) who also noted that there was a number of species for which the correct generic placement in the new system was problematic. This was largely due to these species not having been included in the molecular phylogenetic analyses and because the available herbarium material was rather sparse and/or poor to properly study the morphology.…”

“…ex D.Don was remodelled and split into five genera by Weber et al (2011a). Chirita included a heterogeneous assemblage of species that was united by the possession of the so-called 'chiritoid stigma'.…”