Molecular phylogeny of the arthrostylidioid bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae: Arthrostylidiinae) and new genus Didymogonyx

We present the first multi-locus chloroplast phylogeny of Arthrostylidiinae, a subtribe of neotropical woody bamboos. The morphological diversity of Arthrostylidiinae makes its taxonomy difficult and prior molecular analyses of bamboos have lacked breadth of sampling within the subtribe, leaving internal relationships uncertain. We sampled 51 taxa, chosen to span the range of taxonomic diversity and morphology, and analyzed a combined chloroplast DNA dataset with six chloroplast regions: ndhF, trnD-trnT, trnC-rpoB, rps16-trnQ, trnT-trnL, and rpl16. A consensus of maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses reveals monophyly of the Arthrostylidiinae and four moderately supported lineages within it. Six previously recognized genera were monophyletic, three polyphyletic, and two monotypic; Rhipidocladum sect. Didymogonyx is here raised to generic status. When mapped onto our topology, many of the morphological characters show homoplasy.

Highlights► We present the first multi-locus chloroplast phylogeny of Arthrostylidiinae, a subtribe of neotropical woody bamboos. ► Taxa sampled span a range of diversity and morphology, analyzed with a combined DNA dataset of six chloroplast regions. ► Parsimony and Bayesian trees reveal monophyly of the Arthrostylidiinae and several moderately supported internal lineages. ► We confirm the monophyly of six genera, reveal polyphyly in three, and raise the new genus Didymogonyx from sectional status. ► When mapped onto our topology, many of the morphological characters currently used to separate genera show homoplasy.