Studies in Annonaceae XXXVI.: The Duguetia alliance:: Where the ways part

Results of a cladistic analysis of morphological and anatomical data of the Duguetia alliance (Annonaceae) are presented. Several novel characters, or characters so far not incorporated into phylogenetic analyses, are used. Parsimony analysis resulted in two strongly supported clades: a Fusaea clade, comprising Fusaea, Duckeanthus, Letestudoxa, and Pseudartabotrys, and a Duguetia clade, comprising all Neotropical and African species of Duguetia. Support for the past distinction of Pachypodanthium from Duguetia appears to be absent. Characters used to resolve relationships between and within the two clades are difficult to polarize by outgroup comparison. It is demonstrated that the critical reassessment of classical morphological characters, and the search for new ones, may well advance phylogenetic resolution within Annonaceae.