Phylogeny of the Melanthiaceae (Liliales)

by Wendy B. Zomlefer and Kent D. Perkins

The ongoing Melanthiaceae project by Wendy B. Zomlefer (FLAS) was initiated by her work on the Generic Flora of the Southeastern United States project (NSF; DEB-9419940, Walter S. Judd, principal investigator; DEB-9419952, Norton G. Miller, principal investigator). The current focus is on the relationships and delineations of the ill-defined genera of tribe Melanthieae: Schoenocaulon, Stenanthium, the Veratrum-Melanthium complex, and Zigadenus s.l. (including Amianthium). Descriptions are modified from Zomlefer (1997a).

The Molecular Systematics Lab (Florida Museum of Natural History), the sequencing facility for this project, is under the direction of Norris Williams and W. Mark Whitten. Currently, molecular data generated by Zomlefer for the Melanthieae include trnL-F, ITS, 5S, and AFLP. ITS and trnL-F sequences will be available on Genbank after publication of this preliminary data (Zomlefer, Williams, Whitten, & Judd, in prep.).

Links to the preminary molecular results are below:

• voucher list
• trnL-F cladograms
• ITS cladograms
• combined trnL-F/ITS cladograms
• 5S
• AFLP on the Zigadenus venenosus complex

For additional references on the Melanthiacae, see:

• AMBROSE, J. D. 1980. A re-evaluation of the Melanthioideae (Liliaceae) using numerical analyses. 1980. Pp. 65-81 in C. D. BRICKELL, D. F. CUTLER, & M. GREGORY, eds., Petaloid monocotyledons. London and New York.
• ANGIOSPERM PHYLOGENY GROUP [APG]. 1998. An ordinal classification for the families of flowering plants. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 85: 531-553.
• CHASE, M.W., D. E. SOLTIS, P. S. SOLTIS, P. J. RUDALL, M. F. FAY, W. H. HAHN, S. SULLIVAN, J. JOSEPH, T. J. GIVNISH, K. J. SYTSMA, J. C. PIRES & J. D. FARRIS. 1999. Higher-level systematics of the monocotyledons: An assessment of current knowledge and a new classification. Austral. J. Bot. (in press.).
• GOLDBLATT, P. 1995. The status of R. Dahlgren's orders Liliales and Melanthiales. Pp. 181-200 in P. J. RUDALL, P. J. CRIBB, D. F. CUTLER, & C. J. HUMPHRIES, eds., Monocotyledons: Systematics and evolution. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• REVEAL, J. L., & W. B. ZOMLEFER. 1998. Two new orders for monocotyledonous plants. Novon 8: 176-177.
• TAMURA, M. N. 1998. Melanthiaceae. Pp. 369-380 in K. KUBITZKI, ed., The families and genera of vascular plants, Vol. III, Monocotyledons. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
• ZOMLEFER, W. B. 1996. The Trilliaceae in the southeastern United States. Harvard Pap. Bot. 1(9): 91-120.
• ZOMLEFER, W. B. 1997a. The genera of Melanthiaceae in the southeastern United States. Harvard Pap. Bot. 2: 133-177.
• ZOMLEFER, W. B. 1997b. The genera of Tofieldiaceae in the southeastern United States. Harvard Pap. Bot. 2: 179-194.
• ZOMLEFER, W. B. 1997c. The genera of Nartheciaceae in the southeastern United States. Harvard Pap. Bot. 2: 195-211.
• ZOMLEFER, W. B. 1999. Advances in angiosperm systematics: examples from the Liliales and Asparagales. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 125: 58-62.