Higher level phylogeny and evolutionary trends in Campanulaceae subfam. Lobelioideae: molecular signal overshadows morphology.

Relationships within the subfamily Lobelioideae in Campanulaceae are inferred from DNA sequence variation in the rbcL and ndhF genes, and the trnL-F region including the trnL intron and the trnL-F intergenic spacer. Results derived from Bayesian and parsimony analyses provide evidence for the long-suspected paraphyly of the genus Lobelia, comprising over 400 species as presently circumscribed. The perennial dwarf herbs belonging to the Andean genus Lysipomia are sister to a group comprising the Neotropical shrubs Burmeistera, Centropogon, and Siphocampylus. Giant lobelioids from the Hawaiian Islands, Brazil, Africa, and Sri Lanka form a strongly supported group. Character optimizations on the phylogenetic tree reveal that shifts in fruit types and lignification have occurred much more commonly than generally assumed. The main clades in the subfamily are outlined, which largely contradict previous classifications based on morphology.