PELL, SUSAN K.* AND LOWELL URBATSCH. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. - Evaluation of evolutionary relationships in Anacardiaceae using matK sequence data.
Anacardiaceae, the cashew family, comprises ca. 600 species in 80
genera. It is a primarily pantropical family with approximately equal
representation in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.
Anacardiaceae is most well known for its edible fruits and seeds,
contact dermatitis-causing species, and lacquer plants. Recent
studies have indicated that the most widely used classification,
Engler’s 1883 treatment consisting of five tribes (Anacardieae,
Dobineae, Rhoeae, Semecarpeae, and Spondiadeae), is artificial. In
order to develop a clearer picture of the circumscription of the
tribes within Anacardiaceae, a phylogeny has been constructed from DNA
sequence data of the chloroplast gene matK. Preliminary sequence data
support earlier molecular and morphological/anatomical studies that
found two, rather than five, lineages within the family. Establishing
the root of the Anacardiaceae is an essential part of determining the
intrafamilial relationships. Numerous authors have recognized
Burseraceae as sister to Anacardiaceae, a relationship supported by
Gadek et al.’s rbcL DNA sequence data from a few representatives
(three Burseraceae and 7 Anacardiaceae) of each family. This
interfamilial relationship will be investigated in more detail via
matK sequence data from numerous representatives of Burseraceae and
Anacardiaceae.
Key words: Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, matK, phylogeny