THE SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF PLAGIOCHILA SURINAMENSIS INFERRED FROM nrDNA ITS SEQUENCES, MORPHOLOGY AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Abstract

  Neotropical Plagiochila surinamensis differs from P. (sect. Rutilantes) gymnocalycina in having fragile leaf teeth. Phylogenetic analyses of nrITS sequences of several representatives of P. sects. Rutilantes and Arrectae lead to a well-resolved topology in which P. surinamensis is placed sister to P. gymnocalycina with good bootstrap support. The phytochemical profile of a deuterochloroform extract of P. surinamensis consists essentially of 4-hydroxy-3 '-methoxybibenzyl and β-phellandrene, a combination observed previously in P. gymnocalycina only. Based on this topology and the morphological and phytochemical similarities, P. surinamensis is reduced to a variety of P. gymnocalycina. Plagiochila wolfii is placed in the synonymy of P. gymnocalycina var. surinamensis.