XVI International Botanical Congess

The tribe Mutisieae (Asteraceae) is a morphologically heterogeneous, polyphyletic assemblage of 84 genera at the base of the family. Resolution of relationships among genera of Mutisieae is critical for understanding early evolution in the family. For 40 genera from Mutisieae and 28 species from other related groups, the 3= end of ndhF sequence of the chloroplast genome was used to estimate a phylogeny. Morphological studies focused on the floral characters. Based on the data there are new insights, including: 1) Wunderlichia and Stenopadus, considered to be the basal lineages of the family, appear to be sister groups, 2) Moquinia is not a member of Mutisieae but is close to the Vernonieae and 3) Myripnois may not be a member of the Mutisiinae. Hypotheses of ancestral areas were re-evaluated, showing that the Brazilian and Guiana Shields are closely related. The patterns of character evolution of the basal polyphyletic group provide new insight into the pattern of early diversification of the family. The phylogeny gives a better understanding of circum-scription and relationships within Asteraceae.