Tribe Eritrichieae (Boraginaceae s.str.) in West Asia: a molecular phylogenetic perspective

A selection of Boraginaceae genera was used to obtain a framework for the phylogenetic position of some tribes belong to subfamily Boraginoideae and genera within tribe Eritrichieae (Heterocaryum, Rochelia, Eritrichium, Lappula, Lepechiniella, and Asperugo) and related species. Our results were produced on the basis of nrDNA ITS and cpDNAtrnL-F sequences. The combined nrDNA ITS trnL-F data confirm four main clades of Boraginoideae comprising Echiochileae, Boragineae, Lithospermeae, and Cynoglosseae s. l. (including Eritrichieae, Cynoglosseae s. str., and Myosotideae). The tribe Eritrichieae itself at the current status is paraphyletic; some members, for example Asperugo procumbens, Lepechiniella inconspicua, Myosotidium hortensia, and Cryptantha flavoculata are placed out of the core tribe Eritrichieae. The genus Heterocaryum is monophyletic and allied with a subclade of genera Lappula, Lepechiniella, Eritrichium, and Rochelia. Rochelia is monophyletic, but Eritrichium and Lappula are non-monophyletic. Lepechiniella is nested among a group of Lappula species.