Phylogenetic relationships in Coryphantha and implications on Pelecyphora and Escobaria (Cacteae, Cactoideae, Cactaceae)

By

Sánchez Guillén, Daniel
Vázquez-Benítez, Balbina
Vázquez, Monserrat
Aquino, David
Arias-Montes, Salvador

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

188

Pages

115--165

Subjects

Coryphantha macromeris , extrafloral glands , groove on tubercule , infrageneric classification , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.188.75739

 

Abstract

The genus Coryphantha includes plants with globose to cylindrical stems bearing furrowed tubercles, flowers arising at the apex, and seeds with flattened testa cells. Coryphantha is the second richest genus in the tribe Cacteae. Nevertheless, the genus lacks a phylogenetic framework. The limits of Coryphantha with its sister genus Escobaria and the infrageneric classification of Coryphantha have not been evaluated in a phylogenetic study. In this study we analyzed five chloroplast regions (matK, rbcL, psbA-trnH, rpl16, and trnL-F) using Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. We included 44 species of Coryphantha and 43 additional species of the tribe Cacteae. Our results support the monophyly of Coryphantha by excluding C. macromeris. Escobaria + Pelecyphora + C. macromeris are corroborated as the sister group of Coryphantha. Within Coryphantha our phylogenetic analyses recovered two main clades containing seven subclades, and we propose to recognize those as two subgenera and seven sections, respectively. Also, a new delimitation of Pelecyphora including C. macromeris and all species previously included in Escobaria is proposed. To accommodate this new delimitation 25 new combinations are proposed. The seven subclades recovered within Coryphantha are morphologically and geographically congruent, and partially agree with the traditional classification of this genus.