Phylogeny of Dioscorea sect. Stenophora based on chloroplast matK, rbcL and trnL-F sequences

Seventeen species, one subspecies and one variety of Dioscorea sect. Stenophora Uline were investi-gated for their phylogenetic relationships based on a sequence analysis of chloroplast matK and rbcL genes and trnL-F intergenic spacer by maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The results showed that: (a) sect. Stenophora was a strongly supported monophyletic group; (b) D. rockii, D. membranacea, D. banzhuana, and D. simulans formed a moderately supported monophyletic group, and D. prazeri was weakly supported to be sister to this group; (c) D. althaeoides and D. nipponica ssp. nipponica formed a moderately supported clade, and D. nipponica ssp. rosthornii was not a member of this clade; (d) D. zingiberensis and D. sinoparviflora showed a moderate to strong sister relationship; and (e) D. collettii var. hypoglauca and D. collettii var. collettii were sister to each other, but with only weak support.

Seventeen species, one subspecies and one variety of Dioscorea sect. Stenophora Uline were investigated for their phylogenetic relationships based on a sequence analysis of chloroplast matK and rbcL genes and trnL-F intergenic spacer by maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The results showed that： （a） sect. Stenophora was a strongly supported monophyletic group; （b） D. rockii, D. membranacea, D. banzhuana, and D. simulans formed a moderately supported monophyletic group, and D. prazeri was weakly supported to be sister to this group; （c） D. althaeoides and D. nipponica ssp. nipponica formed a moderately supported clade, and D. nipponica ssp. rosthornii was not a member of this clade; （d） D. zingiberensis and D. sinoparviflora showed a moderate to strong sister relationship; and （e） D. collettii var. hypoglauca and D. collettii var. collettii were sister to each other, but with only weak sunnort.