Phylogeny of the Madagascar-centred tribe Danaideae (Rubiaceae) as a precursor to taxonomic revision: insights into its generic and species limits, affinities and distribution

A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Madagascar-centred tribe Danaideae (Rubiaceae) reveals substantial undocumented species diversity, with 42 confirmed species and nine non-monophyletic ones. The study, employing nuclear and plastid sequence data from 193 samples, challenges traditional morphological classifications by demonstrating that key diagnostic features are not clade-specific. It also suggests parallel northward diversification in two genera, Payera and Schismatoclada, despite the anemochorous dispersal pattern of the tribe. This research provides a robust foundation for future taxonomic revisions, highlighting Madagascar's rich but understudied biodiversity within the Western Indian Ocean Region.

Razafimandimbison, S. G., Wikström, N., Khodabandeh, A., & Rydin, C. (2022). Phylogeny of the Madagascar-centred tribe Danaideae (Rubiaceae) as a precursor to taxonomic revision: insights into its generic and species limits, affinities and distribution. Annals of Botany, 130(6), 849–867. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac121