XVI International Botanical Congess

Ochnaceae is included in Malpighiales, with Quiinaceae+Medusagynaceae as sister group. 9 years ago, a cladistic study based on non-molecular characters, using Quiinaceae+Scytopetalaceae (sharing cristarque cells with Ochnaceae) as outgroup, found Ochnaceae (excl. Diegodendraceae and Strasburgeriaceae), Ochnoideae and Sauvagesioideae to be monophyletic. A new study using rbcL, atpB, and trnL sequences was performed to re-investigate the group. Monophyly of Ochnaceae and Ochnoideae is confirmed. Sauvagesioideae is paraphyletic as Luxemburgia+Philacra are sister group of the rest of the family. This difference from the former study is partly due to the use of unrelated Scytopetalaceae as part of the outgroup. Partly the supposed synapomorphies of Sauvagesioideae, although derived compared with the outgroup, are probably symplesiomorphies further modified in Ochnoideae.