XVI International Botanical Congess

Phylogenetic analyses of the subfamily Altingioideae (Hamamelidaceae) were conducted using sequences of the matK and the ITS regions. Eight species representing all three genera (Altingia, Liquidambar and Semiliquidambar) were sampled. The two datasets generated congruent phylogenies. The monophyly of the subfamily was strongly supported. The North American species, L. styraciflua, was basal within the subfamily. Liquidambar was paraphyletic, with Altingia and Semiliquidambar nested within. The four species of Liquidambar have an intercontinental disjunct distribution in the northern hemisphere. The paraphyly of Liquidambar, with the subtropical and tropical Altingia and Semiliquidambar nested within, suggests the importance of examining the northern hemisphere biogeography in a global context.