Untangling Gloxinieae (Gesneriaceae). I. Phylogenetic Patterns and Generic Boundaries Inferred from Nuclear, Chloroplast, and Morphological Cladistic Datasets

Tribe Gloxinieae has been estimated to include 22 genera and approximately 290 species. This study presents maximum parsimony phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions sequences, the chloroplast DNA trnL intron and trnL-trnF intergenic spacer region sequences, a morphological cladistic dataset, and combined analyses of these datasets. These analyses suggest that the genera Gloxinia, Phinaea, and (possibly) Diastema are polyphyletic; Kohleria is paraphyletic in relation to Capanea; Bellonia and Pheidonocarpa should be considered members of tribe Gesnerieae; and Lembocarpus is a member of tribe Episcieae. Furthermore, the historically recognized genus Seemannia, now included in Gloxinia, appears to form a strongly supported monophyletic group; several Gloxinia species from southern Brazil appear to be most closely related to Goyazia; Capanea, Kohleria, Pearcea s. l., and Diastema vexans appear to form a strongly supported clade; and Diastema, Monopyle, Phinaea (in part), and a few Gloxinia species (Gloxinia dodsonii, G. lindeniana, and G. racemosa) form a clade. Classification issues and generic boundaries of these lineages are discussed in detail.