Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) with emphasis on tropical African species:: evidence from trnL-F and nuclear ITS DNA sequence data

Fifty-three species of Bool3hone Herb., An7mocharis Herb., Cybistetes Milne-Redh. and Crinion L. were analysed cladistically using nuclear ITS and plastid trnL-F sequences, with Amaryllis bellaclonna L. as an outUOLIP. Hoophone disticha (L. f.) Herb. is sister to the subtribe Crininae (i.e., Crinum, Anonocharis, C ' I. bistetes). Two main clades were revealed in the Crininae. The first comprises Annnocharis, Crinitin balill7ii Harins and C.vbistetes longijblia Milne-Redh. & Schweick. Clybistetes long fblia appears in a sister relationship to.4niinocharis angolensis (Baker) Milne-Redh. & Schweick. Crinum baumii and Cljbistefes long folia are thus both referred to the genus Annnochal-iS Linder the names Arnmocharis ba11177ii (Harins) Milne-Redh. and -4nnnocharis longijblia (L.) Roem. respectively. The second main clade is constituted by all other examined species of Crinum, and is split into four subclades. The first subclade includes populations ofthe newly discovered Zambian species, C. jasonii Bjord & Nordal (2006), which has beil-shaped flowers. The second subclade comprises all species with star-shaped flowers (Stenaster) occurring in the southern and eastern part of Africa, Madagascar, and Australasia. The Angolan Coclonocrinum (i.e., with bell-shaped flowers), C. finibricitzilitin Baker, is in a sister relationship to this subelade. The third subclade includes species with bell-shaped flowers With main distribution in southern Africa, in addition to the Australian C.,flacciditin Herb. The fourth subclade includes North African and tropical species with bell-shaped flowers including Asiatic taxa. A monophyletic group With star-shaped flowers distributed in West Africa and Arnerica is nested within this subclade. Interestingly, a narrowly endemic species, C. binghan2ii Nordal & Kwembeya, occurring in svvairips in Nvestern Zambia is sister to this western Stenaster group. There is no support for the taxonomic reco2nition of subgeneric delimitation based on flower morphology. On the other hand, there are strong geoGraphical and ecological trends in the phylogeny.