Systematics of Araceae

Laying the foundations for an updated formal classification of the Araceae by characterizing the major molecular clades with phenotypic characters, where possible.

New work at Kew shows that the duckweeds are a basal group within Aroids

A near-comprehensive phylogeny of the genera of Araceae published in 2008 by L. Cabrera, G. Salazar, M. Chase and co-workers was used by N. Cusimano as the framework for reanalysis with information from remaining genera. With this as the basis, RFLP molecular data from the first ever general molecular analysis of the Araceae by J.C. French and co-workers was re-analysed and compared, together with a morphological data matrix brought up to date by J. Bogner, S. Mayo and co-workers. This produced a new cladogram of the genera in which the major clades were characterized by comparison with the morphological matrix, and a set 47 of well-supported monophyletic groups was proposed as the basis for a future formal classification of the Araceae. Baseline plant diversity research is also being carried out especially in Africa, with the Flora Zambesiaca treatment for Araceae in press (2011).