A comparison of nrDNA ITS and ETS loci for phylogenetic inference in the Umbelliferae: an example from tribe Tordylieae.

The Umbelliferae is a large and taxonomically complex family of flowering plants whose phylogenetic relationships, particularly at low taxonomic levels, are generally obscure based on current and widely used molecular markers. Thus, information on the phylogenetic utility of additional molecular markers at these levels is highly favorable. We investigate the utility of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) external transcribed spacer (ETS) sequences for phylogenetic inference in Umbelliferae tribe Tordylieae, a group whose relationships have been previously difficult to resolve owing to low sequence variability, and compare the results to those obtained from the nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.