Phylogenetic relationships within the New World subfamily Larreoideae (Zygophyllaceae) confirm polyphyly of the disjunct genus Bulnesia

Abstract

The Larreoideae subfamily is the major representative of the family Zygophyllaceae in South America, where several of its members are common to dominant in arid regions of the Southern Cone. However, there are currently no phylogenetic analyses of the subfamily that may help to understand its origin and diversification. Additionally, there are taxonomic discrepancies around Bulnesia Gay (1845), one of its more important genera. Accordingly, we performed a phylogenetic analysis combining chloroplast (rbcL and trnL-F) and nuclear (ITS) DNA sequences. Bayesian and Parsimony analyses were performed to highlight the intergeneric relationships within Larreoideae. All genera with the exception of Bulnesia are monophyletic and we propose to redefine Bulnesia, dividing it in two genera. Furthermore, other taxonomic issues of the remaining genera are solved. This study represents the first approximation to clarify the phylogenetic relationships amongst all Larreoideae genera, producing a phylogenetic framework that can be used in future macro-ecological studies.

Complete chloroplast genome of the desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships among the members of Zygophyllaceae

“…The Zygophyllaceae family includes approximately 22 genera and 230–240 species [ 1 , 2 ]. Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, desert date or heglig, belonging to the Zygophyllaceae family, is native to dry and semiarid regions in Asia and Africa.…”

Historical assembly of Zygophyllaceae in the Atacama Desert

“…in turn is found at the dry limit in the northern part of the Atacama Desert. According to Lia et al (2001) and Godoy-Bürki et al (2018), Bulnesia, Pintoa, and Porlieria have closely related species on the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina and Bolivia but also in the tropical Andes and the Peruvian coastal desert, respectively. For these genera, if a trans-Andean distribution due to vicariance driven by Andean uplift is to be supported, we expect that each Atacama Desert species is sister to a species distributed on the eastern side of the Andes, and the split between those two sister species coincides with the timing of the Andean uplift.…”

“…This study takes previous phylogenetic studies on Zygophyllaceae as the starting point (Godoy-Bürki et al 2018, Wu et al 2018. We expand the sampling of South American taxa based on field studies and herbarium material to understand the historical assembly of Zygophyllaceae in the Atacama Desert.…”

“…(2008),Godoy-Bürki et al (2018) and GBIF 1 . The geographical distribution of each taxon for the two analyses is documented in the supplementary material Tables S6 and S7 and inGodoy-Bürki et al (2018).…”

“…(2008),Godoy-Bürki et al (2018) and GBIF 1 . The geographical distribution of each taxon for the two analyses is documented in the supplementary material Tables S6 and S7 and inGodoy-Bürki et al (2018). The R script used to analyze the ancestral area and to plot the results on the dated phylogeny is publicly available from the CRC1211-database (see Data availability section) and the GitHub 2 repository.…”