Phylogeny of the cycads based on multiple single-copy nuclear genes: congruence of concatenated parsimony, likelihood and species tree inference methods.

Background And Aims: Despite a recent new classification, a stable phylogeny for the cycads has been elusive, particularly regarding resolution of Bowenia, Stangeria and Dioon. In this study, five single-copy nuclear genes (SCNGs) are applied to the phylogeny of the order Cycadales. The specific aim is to evaluate several gene tree-species tree reconciliation approaches for developing an accurate phylogeny of the order, to contrast them with concatenated parsimony analysis and to resolve the erstwhile problematic phylogenetic position of these three genera.

Sweet drinks are made of this: conservation genetics of an endemic palm species from the Dominican Republic.

Pseudophoenix ekmanii is a threatened palm species endemic to the Dominican Republic. Sap from trees is extracted to make a local drink; once they are tapped the individual usually dies. Plants are also illegally harvested for the nursery trade and destroyed by poachers hunting the endemic and threatened Hispaniolan parrot.

Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences confirm a unique plant intercontinental disjunction between tropical Africa, the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands.

Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacers and 5.8 regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and of the trnH-psbA spacer of the chloroplast genome confirm that the three taxa of the Jacquemontia ovalifolia (Choicy) Hallier f. complex (Convolvulaceae) form a monophyletic group.