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Abstract:
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Phylogenetic affinities among Chilean Sophora species are not clear. We sugge$t a new
hypothesis for the origin of the section Edwardsia on the basis of parsimony analysis, which allows a South
American origin to be e$tablishad for the species of this section. The seed alkaloid composition did not
provide useful infonnation for the filiation of Edwardsia species, and the shortest tree was obtained using
morphological charaeters only. Two branches are clearly distinguishable by the pubescence of the leaflets
and the flag/wings length ratio: one of them ¡ncludes S. chrysophylla, S. tetraptera, S. toromiro, S. howinsula
and S. denudata; the other one ¡ncludes S. macnabiana, S. mierophylla, S. masafuerana, S. prostrata and S.
fernandeziana. In contrast, S. macrocarpa, an ancient element of the South American flora, is closely relatad
to species belonging to the section Sophora representad in the region by S. tomentosa, S. linearifolia and S.
rhynchocarpa. Sections Calia and Styphnolobium are clearly relatad to each other, both morphologically
and chemically. |