Phylogeny of Bruniaceae Based on matK and ITS Sequence Data

Bruniaceae are subendemic to the Cape Floristic Region and represent a characteristic element of the prevalent fynbos vegetation. Their position in the angiosperm system, as well as the intergeneric and infrageneric relationships, has remained unclear. In this study, the phylogeny of Bruniaceae has been reconstructed on the basis of matK and internal transcribed spacer sequences. Molecular evidence clearly places Linconia as the sister to the rest of the family.We propose to divide the family into three tribes, the basal Linconieae (with Linconia only) and the former two subdivisions of the family, Audouinieae (Audouinia, Thamnea, Tittmannia, including Pseudobaeckea teres) and Brunieae (remaining nine genera except Linconia). The genera Berzelia, Brunia, Pseudobaeckea, Raspalia, Thamnea, and Tittmannia are not monophyletic and require new taxonomic circumscriptions.