BOHS, LYNN. Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112. - Phylogeny of the Cyphomandra clade of the genus Solanum (Solanaceae).
At least 10 major clades have been identified within the genus
Solanum. One of these, the Cyphomandra clade, consists of members of
Solanum sections Pachyphylla (former genus Cyphomandra; ca. 35 spp.),
Cyphomandropsis (13 spp.), and Glaucophyllum (1 sp.). Molecular data
indicate that the Cyphomandra clade forms a well-supported
monophyletic group, but its sister group is still unclear. All species
of this clade investigated to date have large chromosomes and large
amounts of nuclear DNA. ITS sequence data were used to examine
phylogenetic relationships among ca. 30 species of the clade. Solanum
sections Pachyphylla and Cyphomandropsis do not appear to be
monophyletic as currently circumscribed. About six discrete clades can
be discerned within the Cyphomandra group. Many of these clades are
not congruent with the species groups recognized in sections
Pachyphylla and Cyphomandropsis on the basis of morphology. ITS data
support the hypothesis that the Bolivian species S. roseum, S.
unilobum, and S. maternum are the closest wild relatives of the tree
tomato, S. betaceum.
Key words: Cyphomandra, Cyphomandropsis, ITS, Pachyphylla, Solanaceae, Solanum