Relationships within Myrtaceae sensu lato based on a matK phylogeny

Parsimony analysis of matK sequence data from 81 taxa representing 68 genera of Myrtaceae sensu lato, and a representative of each of three related families as outgroups, produced an estimate of the phylogeny of the family with little basal resolution but a number of well-supported clades containing most of the genera. Monophyly of Myrtaceae sensu stricto has moderate support but a broader circumscription, including the small genera Psiloxylon and Heteropyxis that are frequently placed in monogeneric families, is more strongly supported. Analysis of matK plus available sequences for the 5′ spacer region for a subset of 56 taxa resolved 14 major clades that received strong jackknife support. Relationships between these were, for the most part, incompletely resolved or poorly supported. A new infrafamilial classification is proposed which recognises two subfamilies (Myrtoideae, Psiloxyloideae) and 17 tribes (Backhousieae stat. nov., Chamelaucieae, Eucalypteae stat. nov., Heteropyxideae, Kanieae, Leptospermeae, Lindsayomyrteae trib. nov., Lophostemoneae trib. nov., Melaleuceae, Metrosidereae stat. nov., Myrteae, Osbornieae trib. nov., Psiloxyleae, Syncarpieae trib. nov., Syzygieae trib. nov., Tristanieae trib. nov., Xanthostemoneae trib. nov.).