Polyphyly of Limoniastrum (Plumbaginaceae): evidence from DNA sequences of plastid rbcL, trnL intron and trnL-F intergene spacer

Phylogenetic relationships of Limoniastrum and other genera of subfamily Staticoideae (Plumbaginaceae) were studied using parsimony analysis of the plastid gene rbc L, the intron of trn L and the intergene spacer of trnL - trn F. Our analysis showed that Limoniastrum was polyphyletic. Limoniastrum ifniense , in both rbc L and combined data analyses, is sister to Armeria and Psylliostachys , whereas in the trn L-F (intron and spacer combined) analysis it is sister to a clade composed of Acantholimon , Dictyolimon and the remaining species of Limoniastrum. In all analyses, the five remaining species of Limoniastrum (excluding Limoniastrum ifniense ) formed a clade with two groups of species L. monopetalum+L. guyonianum and those sometimes considered as the segregate genus Bubania ( L. feei, L. weygandiorum and L. rechingeri ). Levels of sequence divergence among these three groups of Limoniastrum were greater than for other well supported genera in the family and, in combination with morphological differences and paucity of synapomorphies, led us to conclude that separate generic status for each of the three clades is warranted.