A Preliminary Phylogeny of New World Verbenaceae Based on nrDNA sequences

This study of the New World Verbenoideae concerned evolutionary relationships of genera within the Verbenaceae (subfamily Verbenoideae) based on nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) DNA sequences. The placement of many Verbenacean genera into families have been problematic with many traditional genera being segregated recently into the Lamiaceae. This study included only taxa of the Verbenaceae s. str. The data to date indicate three distinct clades within Verbenaceae. The first includes the genera Aloysia, Lantana, Lippia, Phyla, and Priva. The second includes Glandularia, Junellia, Stylodon, and Verbena. The third includes Bouchea and Stachytarpheta. Numerous genera remain to be sampled before a more complete picture of phylogeny in New World Verbenaceans can be hypothesized. Introduction The Order Lamiales is a controversial assemblage of many large families. Some of the smaller families are Avicenniaceae (Black Mangrove family), Buddlejaceae (Sagewood family), Martyniaceae (Devil’s claw family), Myoporaceae (Myoporum family), Oleaceae (Olive family), Pedaliaceae (Sesame family), Plantaginaceae (Plantain family) and the larger families in this Order are Acanthaceae (Acanthus family) 240 genera,2200 spp., Boraginaceae (Borage family) 100 genera, 2000 spp., Bignoniaceae (Bignon family) 100 genera,800 spp., Gesneriaceae (African violet family)85 genera, 1200 spp., Lamiaceae (Mint family) 160 genera, 3500 spp., Scrophulariaceae (Snapdragon family) 200 genera, 2600 spp., and the Verbenaceae (Vervain or Lantana family) (Lawrence, 1951; Porter, 1967; Smith,1977).