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. 2018 Dec 27;60(5):1429–1441. doi: 10.1002/tax.605018

Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the "spiny solanums" (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum)

Stephen Stern 1,3,✉, Maria de Fátima Agra 2, Lynn Bohs 1
PMCID: PMC7169808  PMID: 32327851

Abstract

Solanum subg. Leptostemonum contains approximately 350–450 species, including the cultivated eggplant, S. melongena. Most species placed in this subgenus form a monophyletic group, the Leptostemonum clade, characterized by the presence of stellate hairs and prickles, leading to the common name of "spiny solanums". Here we present a phylogenetic analysis that circumscribes the major clades within the spiny solanums and examines the relationships among them, with an emphasis on New World species. Of particular interest is the clarification of the clade limits and species composition of groups that have not been well‐sampled. We also increase sampling of taxa that have been previously analyzed in molecular studies, namely those in the Torva, Micracantha, and Erythrotrichum clades. These groups have convergent morphological characteristics that have challenged taxonomists, making classification difficult. Results from our study delimit 14 clades within the spiny solanums, including the newly designated Asterophorum, Gardneri, Sisymbriifolium, and Thomasiifolium clades. We also establish the placement of species not previously sampled, especially those endemic to Brazil. These results give an increased understanding of the evolution of the Leptostemonum clade by defining monophyletic groups within it and identify areas of the phylogenetic tree that remain unresolved and require further taxon sampling.

Keywords: Granule-bound starch synthase (gbssi), Its, Leptostemonum, Solanaceae, Solanum, Trnt-f, Waxy

Supporting information

Supplementary Material Figures S1–S3 are available in the free Electronic Supplement to the online version of this article.

Tables

Click here for additional data file. (435.8KB, pdf)

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Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary Material Figures S1–S3 are available in the free Electronic Supplement to the online version of this article.

Tables

Click here for additional data file. (435.8KB, pdf)

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