PARSIMONY ANALYSIS AND CLADISTIC RECLASSIFICATION OF THE RELHANIA GENERIC GROUP (ASTERACEAE-GNAPHALIEAE)

Parsimony analysis of the Relhania group of genera (Asteraceae-Gnaphalieae-Relhaniinae) yields a revised hypothesis of their phylogeny. The genera Leysera L. and Oedera L. are demonstrated to have their closest relatives within Relhania L'Her., which is shown to be paraphyletic as hitherto circumscribed. A revised generic classification is proposed. Relhania and Leysera are redefined more narrowly. Rhynchopsidium DC. and the monotypic Nestlera Sprengel are reestablished. Oedera is amended to include some former Relhania species. The new genus Comborhiza Anderb. & Bremer, with 2 species, is described, and 14 new combinations in Oedera and Comborhiza are made. Because parsimony analysis produces better phylogenetic hypotheses than limited selections of alleged synapomorphies, and because the latter approach hitherto has been more common in generic classification, it is argued that, with improved phylogenetic hypotheses derived from parsimony analysis, generic reclassifications will become necessary also in other groups.