Molecular Systematics of the Nepetoideae (Family Labiatae): Phylogenetic Implications from rbcL Gene Sequences

Abstract

Total DNA was extracted from 41 species (20 genera) of the subfamily Nepetoideae (fam ily Labiatae). Using rbcL-specific primers, the rbcL gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced directly. RbcL sequences were evaluated with character state (maximum parsimony; PAUP) and distance methods (neighbour-joining; MEGA). In agree ment with classical systematics all taxa studied cluster within the Nepetoideae and are clearly distinguished from members of the subfamily Lamioideae. A number of distinctive clades are apparent within the Nepetoideae: I -Collinsonia, II -Lavandula, III -Agastache, Glechoma, IV -Satureja, Hyssopus, Dracocephalum, V -Nepeta, VI -Hormium, VII -Prunella, VIII -Melissa, Ocimum, IX -Monarda, Mentha, X -Origanum, Thymus, XI -Salvia, XII -Rosmarinus, and XIII -Perovskia. At least five main branches rep resenting the clades I, II, III to VII, VIII, and IX to XIII respectively, can be distinguished within the Nepetoideae studied. They might be considered representing the tribes (according to Cantino, 1992) Elsholtzieae (I), Lavanduleae (II), and Mentheae (III -XIII). The tribe Mentheae needs to be subdivided into at least three main groups (clades III-V II, VIII and IX -X II I). Major ana hortensis which is often classified as Origanum hortensis does not cluster with Origanum and deserves a generic status of its own. Reprint requests to Prof. Dr. M. Wink. Telefax: (06221) 564884.

Molecular phylogeny of cycads inferred from rbcL sequences

“…The opposite can be seen for thymine (17.5% and 40.5%, respectively). These findings are in agreement with other rbcL analyses (Kaufmann and Wink 1994;Käss and Wink 1995).…”

Taxonomic Status of Galeobdolon Luteum Huds. (Lamiaceae) From Classical Taxonomy and Phylogenetics Perspectives

“…2) did not reveal significant differences between G. luteum and the dead-nettle species, and confirmed the results from other studies investigating the chloroplast genome (Kaufmann and Wink, 1995;Sheen et al, 2010;Bendiksby et al, 2011b) which found close relationships between the genera Lamium and Galeobdolon. Sheen et al (2010) proposed to group the two genera with Wiedemannia as part of the tribe Lamieae, and some of the same researchers made them part of the genus Lamium in a subsequent paper (Bendiksby et al, 2011a).…”

Using Molecular Data to Test a Biogeographic Connection of the Macaronesian Genus Bystropogon (Lamiaceae) to the New World: A Case of Conflicting Phylogenies

“…Studies below the family level have discovered paraphyletic and/or polyphyletic groupings such as the subfamilies Chloanthoideae and Viticoideae, the Satureja L. complex, and Lamium L. (Wink and Kaufmann 1996;Cantino and Wagstaff 1998;Wagstaff et al 1998). In all of these analyses, monophyly of subfamily Nepetoideae and tribe Mentheae is well supported (Kaufmann and Wink 1994;Wagstaff et al 1995). Within tribe Mentheae, Monarda L., Mentha, Nepeta L., and Salvia have been the subject of molecular systematic analyses at the species level (Prather et al 2002;Walker et al 2002;Jamzad et al 2003 ;Bunsawat et al, in mss.).…”