A phylogenetic approach to generic circumscription in Hyacinthaceae subfam. Urgineoideae

Mario MARTINEZ AZORIN (Graz): The taxonomic arrangement within Hyacinthaceae subfamily Urgineoideae has been a matter of controversy in recent decades. Some new taxonomic treatments have been proposed, based exclusively on plastid DNA sequences and a limited number of taxa included, resulting in classifications which are to a great extent contradictory. Some authors have recognized only two genera for the whole subfamily: Drimia including ca. 100 species and Bowiea being monotypic in their concept. In the latter treatment, the genus Drimia resulted extremely variable in morphology and is very difficult to characterize. On the other hand, more analytical works in Urgineoideae accepted several genera which are inevitably much smaller and better defined morphologically. However, some of these genera have not been proved monophyletic in recent phylogenetic studies. In this context, a comprehensive phylogenetic study combining several plastid and nuclear DNA regions and based on a good sampling of taxa appears necessary, in combination with a detailed study of the morphological characters involved in this group and their biogeographic patterns.