The Use of Chloroplast DNA to Assess Biogeography and Evolution of Morphology, Breeding Systems, and Flavonoids in Fuchsia sect, Skinnera (Onagraceae)

Abstract

Fuchsia sect. Skinnera, the only Old World group in the genus, comprises three species in New Zealand and one in Tahiti. These species include a tree, a large shrub, a climbing-scandent shrub, and a creeping, barely woody plant. The section is extremely distinct from the New World species of Fuchsia, and several sharply contrasting models depicting the evolutionary history of these species and the character state changes associated with habit, breeding systems, and chemistry have been proposed. A chloroplast DNA restriction site analysis of sect Skinnera and two outgroup sections was performed, generating a single tree depicting maternal relationships. This tree is congruent with one previously proposed model and demonstrates that the rare F. procumbens of New Zealand is the sister group to all other species in the section, while F. cyrtandroides of Tahiti is the sister taxon of the two remaining New Zealand species. Based on the chloroplast DNA analysis, a critical reevaluation was made of character state changes in the section relating to morphology, breeding systems, and flavonoid compounds.