Phylogeny and updated infrageneric classification of Asemeia (Polygalaceae)

Abstract

The family Polygalaceae comprises approximately 1200 species in 30 genera worldwide. Among the four tribes within the family, tribe Polygaleae is characterized by unique flower structures resembling those of Leguminosae‐Papilionoideae. Asemeia is a genus within tribe Polygaleae, consisting of 36 species and 1 variety distributed throughout the Neotropics, with its main diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado, campo rupestre, and restinga, and extending from the Andes and Central America to the southern United States and southern South America. Phylogenetic studies on Asemeia have been limited, with only eight species sampled in previous studies. In this study, we present the first comprehensive phylogeny of Asemeia , including nuclear (ITS, ETS) and plastid ( trnK‐matK , trnL‐F ) markers, to infer internal relationships and compare nuclear and plastid phylogenies. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses were performed, recovering well‐resolved trees with high support in both datasets. Asemeia was found to be monophyletic in both analyses, whereas A. subg. Apopetala was recovered as paraphyletic. The study identified seven distinct lineages within Asemeia , supporting the recognition of four subgenera ( A. subg. Apopetala , subg. Asemeia , subg. Longipedicellatae subg. nov., subg. Wurdackia subg. nov.) and four sections within subgenus Asemeia ( A. sect. Asemeia , sect. Hebeclada , sect. Purpureae sect. nov., sect. Striatae sect. nov.). The findings also suggest that some diagnostic features previously used to recognize Asemeia may be homoplastic. This study provides new insights into the phylogenetic relationships within Asemeia and proposes an updated infrageneric classification based on molecular and morphological evidence.