Yang & al. • Phylogenetics and classification of Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce TAXON 61 (4) • August 2012: 764–789 Molecular phylogenetics and classification of Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae) Ya Yang,1 Ricarda Riina,2 Jeffery J. Morawetz,3 Thomas Haevermans,4 Xavier Aubriot4 & Paul E. Berry1,5 1 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 830 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1048, U.S.A. 2 Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Plaza de Murillo 2, Madrid 28014, Spain 3 Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California 91711, U.S.A. 4 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, UMR 7205 CNRS/MNHN Origine, Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité, CP 39, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France 5 University of Michigan Herbarium, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, U.S.A. Author for correspondence: Paul E. Berry,
[email protected] Abstract Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce contains around 600 species and includes the largest New World radiation within the Old World-centered genus Euphorbia. It is one of the few plant lineages to include members with C3, C4 and CAM photosyn- thesis, showing multiple adaptations to warm and dry habitats. The subgenus includes North American-centered groups that were previously treated at various taxonomic ranks under the names of “Agaloma ”, “Poinsettia ”, and “Chamaesyce ”. Here we provide a well-resolved phylogeny of Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce using nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast ndhF sequences, with substantially increased taxon sampling compared to previous studies. Based on the phylogeny, we discuss the Old World origin of the subgenus, the evolution of cyathial morphology and growth forms, and then provide a formal sectional classification, with descriptions and species lists for each section or subsection we recognize.