Sequences of rDNA internal transcribed spacers from the chloroplast DNA of 26 bryophytes: properties and phylogenetic utility.

We determined the sequence of the region of the chloroplast DNA inverted repeat spanning from the 3'-terminus of the 23S rRNA gene to the 5'-terminus of the tRNA[Arg](ACG) gene (about 700 bp) from 25 bryophytes and from the charophycean alga Chara australis. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences using the neighbor-joining method suggests an early dichotomy of bryophytes and their paraphyly relative to the tracheophyte lineage. A monophyly of liverworts (Marchantiidae plus Jungermanniidae), a deep divergence of Metzgeriales among Jungermanniidae and a close affinity of the two subclasses of mosses, Sphagnidae and Andreaeidae, are evident. The branching pattern observed is consistent with the phylogenetic distribution of several prominent indels observed in the alignment.