A phylogeny of the European gentians inferred from chloroplast trnL (UAA) intron sequences

Phylogenetic relationships between the European species of the genus Gentiana L. (Gentianaceae) were inferred from chloroplast trnL (UAA) intron sequence data. The phylogeny obtained is largely in accordance with the classification of species into sections Gentiana, Megalanthe and Calathianae. Few synapomorphies support the branching of the main lineages and thus could suggest a rapid radiation following the colonization of Europe. Within section Gentiana, our results are highly congruent with the previous distinction of G. montserratii Vivant from G. lutea L. Section Megalanthe is divided into two well separated lineages, both of which comprise calcicole and calcifuge species. The 'star phylogeny' obtained in section Calathianae suggests that most of the taxa speciated almost simultaneously. Relative-rate tests between two lineages suggested that section Chondrophyllae displays higher mutation rates than the rest of the genus Gentiana and that cpDNA can violate assumptions of rate constancy at lower taxonomic level. (C) 1996 The Linnean Society of London.