Molecular phylogeny of Planchonella (Sapotaceae) and eight new species from New Caledonia

We present a hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships in Planchonella (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) using nrDNA (ITS) data analysed with parsimony jackknifing and Bayesian inference. Results from these two approaches yield similar majority-rule consensus trees. Planchonella (formerly included in Pouteria) is a monophyletic genus of trees and shrubs with 60 species currently recognised. They are distributed in Australia (13 spp.), New Caledonia (32 spp.), the Pacific islands (10 spp.), and New Guinea (5 spp.), but more molecular research is needed in order to identify all members in New Guinea and Malesia. Three strongly supported clades and several subclades were recovered by our analysis. Two clades are restricted to New Caledonia. Within these are eight recently discovered species that are described here (P. crenata, P. glauca, P. latihila, P. luteocostata, P. mandjeliana, P. povilana, P. roseoloba, P. rufocostata), each with a conservation assessment. Our molecular phylogeny shows that some of these taxa, initially believed to be conspecific or closely related, represent separate lineages that deserve species rank. Two of these species are restricted to areas with near-future mining activities, which is why urgent conservation assessments are needed. Several subspecies or varieties of P. myrsinifolia and P. cotinifolia are recognised in Australia. Neither of these two species is monophyletic in its present circumscription, and for this reason P. cotinifolia var. pubescens is given species rank here as P. pubescens. We also amend the generic description of Planchonella, a genus best distinguished on a character combination of stamens positioned just below (rarely in) the tube orifice, a multi-seeded fruit, and foliaceous cotyledons embedded in endosperm.