Molecular phylogenetic position of podostemaceae, a marvelous aquatic flowering plant family.

Podostemaceae are aquatic herbs and are famous for their anomalous vegetative morphology, occurring only in rapids. Because of its peculiar morphology, there were no established theory nor accepted opinion on the phylogenetic position. Especially, Cusset and Cusset (1988) proposed the new class, Podostemopsida beside the Magnollopsida and Liliopsida. We, therefore, consequences extensive and detailled analyses using nucleotide sequences ofrbcL genes for two genera and three species of the family together with many representatives of the families of flowering plants to determine the closest ally. The conclusion was that the Crassulaceae is a sister group to the Podostemaceae.