The order Dipsacales is classified in Euasterids II and comprises six families following APG: Caprifoliaceae, Diervillaceae, Linnaeaceae, Dipsacaceae, Valerianaceae and Morinaceae. Despite its relatively small size, many phylogenetic questions on intergeneric and interfamilial relations still remain in this order. New sequences of both 5’ and 3’ region of the plastid ndhF gene are generated and combined with published ndhF sequence data; a combination with available rbcL sequences and a morphological data set is also performed. All major lineages within Dipsacales are represented. Parsimony analysis based on ndhF data shows Heptacodium as sister to all members of Caprifoliaceae; combined algorithms suggest an unresolved basal position in the Dipsacales. Trees inferred from all data sets indicate a paraphyletic nature of the tribe Patrinieae and suggest that Nardostachys can no longer be regarded as the basalmost member of Valerianaceae. Morinaceae are strongly monophyletic and behave as a basal clade to the Valerianaceae-Dipsacaceae clade. In classifications of Dipsacales the genus Triplostegia is treated as a member of Valerianaceae, Dipsacaceae, or even as a monogeneric family. The results presented, indicate that the position of Triplostegia remains equivocal: molecular data suggest a basal position in Dipsacaceae, while the morphological matrix and the total combined data set show Triplostegia as sister to all Valerianaceae.

Key words: combined analyses, Dipsacales, morphology, ndhF, phylogeny, rbcL