A Dated Phylogeny of the Pantropical Genus Dalbergia L.f. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) and Its Implications for Historical Biogeography

The genus Dalbergia has a pantropical distribution and comprises approximately 250 species. Previous phylogenetic studies on the revealed that is monophyletic sister to Machaerium Aeschynomene sect. Ochopodium. However, due limited samples or DNA regions in these studies, relationships among major clades are still unresolved, divergence dates biogeographical history of have not been addressed. In this study, analyses were conducted using broad taxon sampling combined dataset two plastid markers (matK rbcL) one nuclear marker (ITS). We evaluated infrageneric classification based reconstructed tree, investigated through molecular dating ancestral area reconstruction analyses. monophyly was strongly supported resolved into five with high support, several which correspond previous recognized sections. inferred originated South America during Early Miocene (c. 22.9 Ma) achieved its current multiple recent transoceanic long-distance dispersals (LDD). highlighted important historical events may explain pattern Dalbergia.