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A Molecular Phylogenetic Study of RED BUDS (Cercis L., fabaceae) Based on ITS nrDNA Sequences

FATİH COŞKUN^* AND CLIFFORD R. PARKS 

Abstract: As a member of the large family Fabaceae, red buds are widely cultivated in the world due to their ornamental value.  This study included 13 Cercis taxa from different parts of the world.  Our analysis of the ITS nrDNA sequences proved useful in understanding the phylogenetic relationships of Cercis taxa and resolved most of the branches in the phylogenetic tree. The lowest sequence divergence within ingroup taxa was between C. canadensis ssp. canadensis and C. californica ssp. californica, 0.0014%. This was assuring that these taxa belong to the same species. The highest sequence divergence within ingroup taxa was 0.028% between C. canadensis ssp. mexicana and C. chingii. ITS data indicated that C. chuniana and C. occidentalis are interestingly close relatives, on one hand and C. siliquastrum and other North American Cercis taxa along with C.griffithii are close relatives on the other.

Department of Biology, Balıkesir University, 10145, Balıkesir, Turkey

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C., 27599-3280, U.S.A.