Subfamilial and tribal relationships of Ranunculaceae: evidence from eight molecular markers

The first molecular phylogenies of the flowering plant family Ranunculaceae were published more than twenty years ago, and have led to major changes in the infrafamilial classification. However, the current phylogeny is not yet well supported, and relationships among subfamilies and tribes of Ranunculaceae remain an open question. Eight molecular markers from the three genomes (nuclear, chloroplast and mitochondrial) were selected to investigate these relationships, including new markers for the family (two homologs of the nuclear CYCLOIDEA gene, the chloroplast gene ndhF, and the mitochondrial intron nad4-I1). The combination of multiple markers led to better resolution and higher support of phylogenetic relationships among subfamilies of Ranunculaceae, and among tribes within subfamily Ranunculoideae. Our results challenge the monophyly of Ranunculoideae as currently circumscribed due to the position of tribe Adonideae (Ranunculoideae), sister to Thalictroideae. We suggest that Thalictroideae could be merged with Ranunculoideae in an enlarged single subfamily.