Refining the phylogeny and taxonomy of the apple tribe Maleae (Rosaceae): insights from phylogenomic analyses of 563 plastomes and a taxonomic synopsis of Photinia and its allies in the Old World

By

Wang, Hui
Li, Xiaoya
Jiang, Yan
Jin, Ze-Tao
Ma, Daikun
Liu, Bing (Botanist)
Xu, Chao
Ge, Bin-Jie
Wang, Ting
Fan, Qiang.
Jin, Shui-Hu
Liu, Guang-Ning
Liu, Bin-Bin

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

242

Pages

161--227

Subjects

Classification , lectotype , Nomenclature , Pourthiaea , Stranvaesia , typification , Weniomeles

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.242.117481

 

Abstract

This study addresses the longstanding absence of a comprehensive phylogenetic backbone for the apple tribe Maleae, a deficiency attributed to limited taxon and marker sampling. We conducted an extensive taxon sampling, incorporating 563 plastomes from a diverse range of 370 species encompassing 26 presently recognized genera. Employing a range of phylogenetic inference methods, including RAxML and IQ-TREE2 for Maximum Likelihood (ML) analyses, we established a robust phylogenetic framework for the Maleae tribe. Our phylogenomic investigations provided compelling support for three major clades within Maleae. By integrating nuclear phylogenetic data with morphological and chromosomal evidence, we propose an updated infra-tribal taxonomic system, comprising subtribe Malinae Reveal, subtribe Lindleyinae Reveal, and subtribe Vauqueliniinae B.B.Liu (subtr. nov.). Plastid phylogenetic analysis also confirmed the monophyly of most genera, except forAmelanchier,Malus,Sorbussensu lato, andStranvaesia. In addition, we present a comprehensive taxonomic synopsis ofPhotiniaand its morphological allies in the Old World, recognizing 27 species and ten varieties withinPhotinia, three species and two varieties withinStranvaesia, and two species and three varieties withinWeniomeles. Furthermore, we also lectotypified 12 names and made two new combinations,Photinia microphylla(J.E.Vidal) B.B.Liu andWeniomeles atropurpurea(P.L.Chiu ex Z.H.Chen & X.F.Jin) B.B.Liu.