Molecular phylogeny, morphology and taxonomic re-circumscription of the generic complex Nonea/Elizaldia/Pulmonaria/Paraskevia (Boraginaceae-Boragineae)

We performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the generic complex Noneal/Elizaldial/Paraskevia/Pulmonaria (Boraginaceae-Boragineae)), using trnL(UAA) and ITSI sequences from non-coding plastid and nuclear DNA, respectively. In the strict consensus of most parsimonious trees from combined ITS1/trnL sequences the ingroup forms a monophyletic group with two sister clades of Nonea/Elizaldia and Paraskevia/Pulmonaria. The eastern Mediterranean Nonea obtusifolia is sister to the rest of the ingroup and more distant to Nonea taxa than to those of Pulmonaria. Elizaldia is firmly nested in Nonea and forms a clade that includes the southern Mediterranean species N. vesicaria. Nonea as currently circumscribed is therefore paraphyletic. The molecular results are congruent with morphological, karyological and chorological features and suggest a redefinition of Nonea s.l. based on monophyletic groups. We propose: (i) the institution of the new monotypic genus Melanortocarya gen. nov. for N. obtusifolia, (ii) the inclusion of Elizaldia within Nonea, and (iii) the transfer of Paraskevia (Nonea) cesatiana to Pulmonaria. Nonea embergeri, previously treated at the infraspecific level, is recognized at species rank and E. calycina subsp. multicolor is placed in synonymy of N. calycina.