Molecular phylogenetics of Acacia (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) based on the chloroplast MATK coding sequence and flanking TRNK intron spacer regions

• DOI: 10.2307/2657071
• Publication Date: 2007-02-02T22:43:28Z
• Authors: Joseph T. Miller; Randall J. Bayer
• Keywords: Monophyly; Subgenus; Mimosoideae; Paraphyly; Caesalpinioideae; Tribe; Pantropical

The tribe Acacieae (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) contains two genera, the monotypic African Faidherbia and pantropical Acacia, which comprise about 1200 species with over 950 confined to Australia. As currently recognized, genus Acacia is subdivided into three subgenera: subg. Aculeiferum, predominantly Australian Phyllodineae. Morphological studies have suggested are artificial a close affinity Ingeae. Based on available data there no consensus whether should be subdivided. Sequence analysis of chloroplast trnK intron, including matK coding region flanking noncoding regions, indicate that neither nor monophyletic. Two subgenera monophyletic; section Filicinae subgenus Aculeiferum does not group taxa subgenus. Section Filicinae, eight Ingeae form weakly supported paraphyletic grade respect (s. s.) sister grade. These suggest characters used differentiate at tribal, generic, subgeneric levels polymorphic homoplasious in cladistic analyses.