XVI International Botanical Congess

The neotropical genus Clusia (Clusiaceae) is notable for its extreme variation in androecial morphology and pollination biology. We studied ITS and rbcL sequence variation in Clusia and other Clusiaceae as a first step towards a better understanding of character evolution in the genus, and to provide a phylogenetically based revision of the sectional classification. The results show that several traditional sections are monophyletic and that the genera Quapoya and Oedematopus are nested within Clusia, being related to species of sect. Criuva. The sister group of Clusia includes Chrysochlamys and Tovomita, both of which are mostly dioecious. This is also the plesiomorphic condition in Clusia, but bisexual flowers have evolved at least twice within the genus. This research was supported by the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Foundation.