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. 2021 Sep 9;43(6):452-461.
doi: 10.1016/j.pld.2021.08.002. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Phylogenetic incongruence in Cymbidium orchids

Guo-Qiang Zhang  1   2 , Gui-Zhen Chen  3   2 , Li-Jun Chen  2 , Jun-Wen Zhai  3 , Jie Huang  3   2 , Xin-Yi Wu  2 , Ming-He Li  3 , Dong-Hui Peng  3 , Wen-Hui Rao  2 , Zhong-Jian Liu  3 , Si-Ren Lan  1   3
Affiliations

Phylogenetic incongruence in Cymbidium orchids

Guo-Qiang Zhang et al. Plant Divers. .

Abstract

Cymbidium, which includes approximately 80 species, is one of the most ornamental and cultivated orchid genera. However, a lack of markers and sparse sampling have posed great challenges to resolving the phylogenetic relationships within the genus. In the present study, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships by utilizing one nuclear DNA (nrITS) and seven plastid genes (rbcL, trnS, trnG, matK, trnL, psbA, and atpI) from 70 species (varieties) in Cymbidium. We also examined the occurrence of phylogenetic conflict between nuclear (nrITS) and plastid loci and investigated how phylogenetic conflict bears on taxonomic classification within the genus. We found that phylogenetic conflict and low support values may be explained by hybridization and a lack of informative characteristics. Our results do not support previous classification of the subgenera and sections within Cymbidium. Discordance between gene trees and network analysis indicate that reticulate evolution occurred in the genus Cymbidium. Overall, our study indicates that Cymbidium has undergone a complex evolution.

Keywords: Cymbidium; Phylogenetic conflict; Reticulate evolution; cpDNA; nrITS.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Phylogenetic relationships of Cymbidium based on the plastid DNA (rbcL, trnS, trnG, matK, trnL, psbA, and atpI). The numbers near the nodes are bootstrap percentages (PP left, BS right). A dash (−) indicates values less than 50%.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Phylogenetic relationships of Cymbidium based on nrITS. The numbers near the nodes are bootstrap percentages (PP left, BS right). A dash (−) indicates values less than 50%. The classification follows Liu et al. (2006).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
ITS (left) and combined plastid (right) phylogenies of Cymbidium. Bayesian consensus cladograms were generated based on data of the nrITS (left) and the seven plastid loci (matK, rbcL, trnL, trnS, trnG, psbA, and atpI) (right). The classification follows Liu et al. (2006).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Filtered super-networks constructed from separate cpDNA and nuclear gene trees. (a) All species were included. (b) Twenty-four species were excluded.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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