Molecular systematics ofCardamine and allied genera (Brassicaceae): Its and non-coding chloroplast DNA

Representatives of the generaCardamine, Dentaria, Nasturtium, Rorippa andArmoracia (Brassicaceae) were analyzed to elucidate their phylogenetic relationships based on nuclear (ITS) and non-coding chloroplast (cp) DNA sequences.Dentaria seems to be polyphyletic. The two studiedDentaria species group with differentCardamine clades, and it is argued thatD. bulbifera is an allopolyploid originating from a hybridization between aCardamine and aDentaria species. In the ITS tree,Nasturtium andRorippa form well supported clades but their relationship toCardamine andArmoracia remains unresolved. In the cpDNA tree,Nasturtium groups together withCardamine. Hybridization events apparently played a role in the evolution ofNasturtium. TheCardamine/Nasturtium clade is separated from a clade placingRorippa andArmoracia together.Armoracia is closely related toRorippa. Analyses of the 19Cardamine species studied revealed three main groupings, a northern hemispheric and two southern hemispheric groups. Within the northern hemisphere taxa theC. pratensis complex forms a well supported clade which seems to be closely related toC. amara, C. raphanifolia andC. flexuosa. The positions ofC. hirsuta andC. impatiens are uncertain. The two southern hemisphere clades consist of New Guinean species and south-eastern Australian/Tasmanian and subantarctic species, respectively. They may reflect migration routes from the northern to the southern hemisphere, but further studies are necessary to fully understand the evolution of the bihemispheric distribution pattern ofCardamine.