XVI International Botanical Congess

Hawaiian species of Pittosporum are reported to be either hermaphroditic, gynodioecious or dioecious. As a first step toward elucidating the evolutionary pathway of these breeding systems, we examine the phylogenetic utility of three data sets: DNA sequences of ITS, morphological characters and microsatellite loci. Preliminary ITS analyses identify a clade consisting of Hawaiian Pittosporum and P. yunkeri, a Tongan species. Morphological analyses reveal a similar Hawaiian clade that is sister to a group of New Zealand species. We are developing microsatellite and AFLP markers to detect variation between populations and species of closely related Hawaiian Pittosporum.