Phylogeny of Berberidaceae based on sequences of the chloroplast gene ndhF

Phylogenetic analyses of the chloroplast gene ndhF were performed for 23 species of Berberidaceae and related families to address questions of intergeneric relationships. The ndhF gene varies in length from 2103 to 2196 bp due to the presence of deletions (up to 93 bp) in the 3' region. The ndhF results presented here are largely congruent with previous trees from rbcL sequence and chloroplast DNA restriction site analyses, especially in recognizing the four chromosomal clades (x = 10, 8, 7, and 6). The ndhF tree indicates strong support for the sister group relationship between the morphologically distinctive genus Nandina (x = 10) and the Caulophyllum group (x = 8), which provides additional evidence for retaining Nandina within Berberidaceae. However, phylogenetic relationships among the three other chromosomal clades remain unresolved. Within the x = 6 group, the basal position of Jeffersonia/Plagiorhegma and the monophyly of the Podophyllum group are evident, whereas the position of Achlys is uncertain. In contrast to the traditional morphological view, the Sinopodophyllum/Dysosma clade is more closely related to Diphylleia than to Podophyllum. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.