Molecular Systematics of the Cactaceae

我们将研究双子叶被子植物仙人掌科(仙人掌科)叶绿体基因组的系统有用的变异。来自整个家族的代表性分类群的DNA样本将被分析核酮糖二磷酸羧基酶大亚基(RbcL)的叶绿体编码基因的基因序列变异。基因序列变异的研究将被用来解决在亚科和部落层面上关于该科内部系统发育关系的长期问题，以及评估先前提出的分类群的单系性。RbcL基因测序得到的数据将与从结构特征比较研究中获得的形态数据相结合，如脊柱、花、果实和种子的结构特征，并将被分析以发展关于仙人掌亚科内部和亚科之间以及仙人掌亚科和仙人掌亚科部落之间关系的假说。对DNA数据和形态数据的分支分析将提供额外的信息，从中可以做出推断，以帮助理解仙人掌的复杂系统发育、形态多样性和生物地理辐射。

The dicotyledonous angiosperm family Cactaceae (the Cactus Family) will be examined for systematically-useful variation in the chloroplast genome. DNA samples of representative taxa from throughout the family will be analyzed for gene sequence variation in the chloroplast-encoded gene for ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit (rbcL). Studies of gene sequence variation will be used to address long-standing questions about the phylogenetic relationships within the family at the subfamilial and tribal levels, as well as to assess monophyly of previously proposed taxonomic groups. Data derived from rbcL gene sequencing will be integrated with morphological data obtained from comparative studies of structural characters such as those of spines, flowers, fruits, and seeds, and will be analyzed to develop hypotheses about the relationships within and between subfamilies of the Cactaceae, and within the tribes of the subfamilies Cactoideae and Opuntioideae. Cladistic analysis of DNA data together with morphological data will provide additional information from which inferences may be made to assist in understanding the complex phylogeny, morphological diversification, and biogeographic radiation of the cacti.