Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of Phlomoides(Lamiaceae subfamily Lamioideae)in China:Insights from molecular and morphological data

Phlomoides,with 150-170 species,is the second largest and perhaps most taxonomically challenging genus within the subfamily Lamioideae(Lamiaceae).With about 60 species,China is one of three major biodiversity centers of Phlomoides.Although some Phlomoides species from China have been included in previous molecular phylogenetic studies,a robust and broad phylogeny of this lineage has yet to be completed.Moreover,given the myriad new additions to the genus,the existing infrageneric classification needs to be evaluated and revised.Here,we combine molecular and morphological data to investigate relationships within Phlomoides,with a focus on Chinese species.We observed that plastid DNA sequences can resolve relationships within Phlomoides better than nuclear ribosomal internal and external transcribed spacer regions(nrITS and nrETS).Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of Phlomoides,but most previously defined infrageneric groups are not monophyletic.In addition,morphological analysis demonstrates the significant taxonomic value of eight characters to the genus.Based on our molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological data,we establish a novel section Notochaete within Phlomoides,and propose three new combinations as well as three new synonyms.This study presents the first molecular phylogenetic analyses of Phlomoides in which taxa representative of the entire genus are included,and highlights the phylogenetic and taxonomic value of several morphological characters from species of Phlomoides from China.Our study suggests that a taxonomic revision and reclassification for the entire genus is necessary in the future.

A preliminary phylogenetic study of Paraphlomis(Lamiaceae)based on molecular and morphological evidence

Paraphlomis is a genus of Lamiaceae with about 30 species distributed mainly in subtropical China.In this study,we carried out the first molecular phylogenetic analyses to elucidate the relationships within the genus based on two nuclear and four plastid DNA regions.Our results,which recovered a species of Matsumurella within Paraphlomis,indicate that the genus is not monophyletic.The two sections and most of the series previously described within the genus are also shown to be polyphyletic.Combining with morphological evidence,our study indicates that nutlet morphology rather than calyx morphology is of phylogenetic value for the infrageneric classification of Paraphlomis.Moreover,P.jiangyongensis,a new species from southern China,is here described,and P.coronata,formerly treated as a variety of P.javanica,is here resurrected as a distinct species within the genus.

Molecular and morphological evidence for a new species of Isodon (Lamiaceae) from southern China

Isodon brevipedunculatus,a new species from southern China,is described and illustrated.The phylogenetic position of the new species within the genus was analyzed based on two nuclear ribosomal DNA regions and an ingroup sampling of about 80%of Asian species of Isodon.The results show that I.brevipedunculatus is recovered in a clade that consists of species mainly with glandular mericarps and that are distributed in the Sino-Japanese region.Combining molecular and geographical evidence,our study reveals that I.brevipedunculatus is most closely related to Isodon amethystoides and Isodon bifidocalyx,but differs from the former in lamina shape,number of flowers per cyme,and peduncle length,and from the latter in lamina indumentum,calyx morphology,and corolla length.