Tibetia and Gueldenstaedtia are two morphologically similar and small genera in Fabaceae, with distributions largely corresponding to the Sino-Himalayan and Sino-Japanese subkingdoms in eastern Asia, respectively. These two genera have confusing relationships based on morphology; therefore, we aimed to provide a clear understanding of their phylogenetic and biogeographic evolution within easter...

Tree ferns recently were identified as the closest sister group to the hyperdiverse clade of ferns, the polypods. Although most of the 600 species of tree ferns are arborescent, the group encompasses a wide range of morphological variability, from diminutive members to the giant scaly tree ferns, Cyatheaceae. This well-known family comprises most of the tree fern diversity (∼500 species) and is...

BACKGROUND DNA barcoding will revolutionize our understanding of fern ecology, most especially because the accurate identification of the independent but cryptic gametophyte phase of the fern's life history--an endeavor previously impossible--will finally be feasible. In this study, we assess the discriminatory power of the core plant DNA barcode (rbcL and matK), as well as alternatively propos...

Stemona sessilifolia, S. japonica and S. tuberosa are the three original sources of Stemonae Radix specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP), and have been traditionally used for antitussive and insecticidal remedy. Significant variations in alkaloids composition and content, as well as different degrees of antitussive activities were found among them. In order to identify the genuine sources...

BACKGROUND The recently proposed recircumscription of the genus Atraphaxis (incl. Atraphaxis section Ovczinnikovia O.V. Yurtseva ex. S. Tavakkoli and Polygonum sect. Spinescentia Boissier (=A. sect. Polygonoides S. Tavakkoli, Kaz. Osaloo & Mozaff.) makes this genus fairly heterogeneous and therefore almost undefinable based on morphology. A critical comprehensive reappraisal of the group is nec...

Methods Twenty-eight populations (210 individuals) were sequenced for one nuclear (rpb2) and two chloroplast (trnL–F and psbA–trnH) DNA markers. Intraspecific phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes were reconstructed, and molecular dating, population genetic analyses and group testing were performed on the data. Isolation-by-distance analysis was conducted for the populations spanning the ...

Stemona tuberosa Lour. a precious medicinal plant that belongs to the Stemonaceae family, has high applicability human life. Extracts from leaves or roots of this herb contain many bioactive compounds with great value for both medical application and economy. However, there is not enough data related evaluation classification species in Vietnam. Therefore, study, authors used DNA barcoding meth...

Geographic patterns of genetic variation in chlorolast (cpDNA) and nuclear ribosomal (nrDNA) DNA were examined to test the hypothesis of hybridization between Juniperus osteosperma and Juniperus occidentalis in the Great Basin of western Nevada. Noncoding DNA from the trnL-trnF intergenic spacer and the trnL intron of the chloroplast genome was sequenced from seven populations of J. osteosperma...

The Commelinaceae are a pantropical family of monocotyledonous herbs. Previous phylogenies in Commelinaceae have emphasized sampling among genera. We extended this previous work by sampling multiple species within some of the largest genera of Commelinaceae (especially Commelina and Tradescantia , and also including Callisia , Cyanotis, Gibasis, and Murdannia ), and by sequencing noncoding regi...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The geographic distribution of the genus Plectocephalus comprises a single species in Ethiopia, two in North America and possibly four more in South America, in a striking disjunction that is exceptional for genera of the tribe Cardueae. The enormity of this disjunction cast doubts on the precise taxonomic delineation of the genus, which is not unanimously recognized as a na...