A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae)

The leafy spurges, Euphorbia subg. Esula, make up one of four main lineages in Euphorbia. The subgenus comprises about 480 species, most of which are annual or perennial herbs, but with a small number of dendroid shrubs and nearly leafless, pencilâ stemmed succulents as well. The subgenus constitutes the primary northern temperate radiation in Euphorbia. While the subgenus is most diverse from central Asia to the Mediterranean region, members of the group also occur in Africa, in the Indoâ Pacific region, and in the New World. We have assembled the largest worldwide sampling of the group to date (273 spp.), representing most of the taxonomic and geographic breadth of the subgenus. We performed phylogenetic analyses of sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid ndhF regions. Our individual and combined analyses produced wellâ resolved phylogenies that confirm many of the previously recognized clades and also establish a number of novel groupings and placements of previously enigmatic species. Euphorbia subg. Esula has a clear Eurasian center of diversity, and we provide evidence for four independent arrivals to the New World and three separate colonizations of tropical and southern Africa. One of the latter groups further extends to Madagascar and New Zealand, and to more isolated islands such as Réunion and Samoa. Our results confirm that the dendroid shrub and stemâ succulent growth forms are derived conditions in E. subg. Esula. Stemâ succulents arose twice in the subgenus and dendroid shrubs three times. Based on the molecular phylogeny, we propose a new classification for E. subg. Esula that recognizes 21 sections (four of them newly described and two elevated from subsectional rank), and we place over 95% of the accepted species in the subgenus into this new classification.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146962/1/tax6221.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146962/2/tax6221-sup-004-pdf.pd

A synopsis of Euphorbia Subgen. Chamaesyce Raf. (Euphorbiaceae) in Iran.

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Synopsis of Euphorbia subgen. Esula sect. Helioscopia (Euphorbiaceae) in Iran with the description of Euphorbia mazandaranica sp. nov.

Euphorbia subgen. Esula with about 480 species is one of the most diverse and complex lineages of the giant genus Euphorbia. Species of this subgenus are usually herbaceous and are mainly distributed in temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. This paper updates the taxonomy and distribution of Euphorbia (subgen. Esula) sect. Helioscopia in Iran since the publication of 'Flora Iranica' in 1964. We provide a key, species descriptions, illustrations (for most species), distribution maps, brief characterization of ecology as well as relevant notes for the 12 species of this section occurring in Iran. As a result of this revision, E. altissima var. altissima is reported as new for the country, and a new species from northern Iran, Euphorbia mazandaranica, is described and illustrated. With the exception of E. helioscopia, a widespread weed in temperate regions worldwide, the remaining species occur in the Alborz, Zagros and northwestern regions of Iran. © 2014 The Authors.is work was supported by the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (AHP) and the Euphorbia Planetary Biodiversity Inventory project (DEB-06165 33) (RR). R.R. was supported by a JAE-DOC fellowship funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain, in conjunc- tion with the European Social Fund.Peer Reviewe

Taxonomic revision of euphorbia subsect. Myrsiniteae in Iran

The present paper updates the taxonomy of Euphorbia subsect. Myrsiniteae for the Flora of Iran since the publication of Flora Iranica in 1964. We provide a key, descriptions, distribution maps and illustrations for the seven taxa of the subsection occurring in the country. The presence of E. monostyla and the absence of E. rigida is confirmed. The distribution of E. spinidens, E. myrsinites, E. marschalliana subsp. marschalliana and E. marschalliana subsp. armena is updated, and E. marschalliana subsp. woronowii is considered a synonym of E. marschalliana subsp. marschalliana. © Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board 2011.Peer Reviewe

A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae)

The leafy spurges, Euphorbia subg. Esula, make up one of four main lineages in Euphorbia. The subgenus comprises about 480 species, most of which are annual or perennial herbs, but with a small number of dendroid shrubs and nearly leafless, pencil-stemmed succulents as well. The subgenus constitutes the primary northern temperate radiation in Euphorbia. While the subgenus is most diverse from central Asia to the Mediterranean region, members of the group also occur in Africa, in the Indo-Pacific region, and in the New World. We have assembled the largest worldwide sampling of the group to date (273 spp.), representing most of the taxonomic and geographic breadth of the subgenus. We performed phylogenetic analyses of sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid ndhF regions. Our individual and combined analyses produced well-resolved phylogenies that confirm many of the previously recognized clades and also establish a number of novel groupings and placements of previously enigmatic species. Euphorbia subg. Esula has a clear Eurasian center of diversity, and we provide evidence for four independent arrivals to the New World and three separate colonizations of tropical and southern Africa. One of the latter groups further extends to Madagascar and New Zealand, and to more isolated islands such as Réunion and Samoa. Our results confirm that the dendroid shrub and stem-succulent growth forms are derived conditions in E. subg. Esula. Stem-succulents arose twice in the subgenus and dendroid shrubs three times. Based on the molecular phylogeny, we propose a new classification for E. subg. Esula that recognizes 21 sections (four of them newly described and two elevated from subsectional rank), and we place over 95% of the accepted species in the subgenus into this new classification.Funding was made available by the U.S. National Science Foundation through a Planetary Biodiversity Inventory Grant (DEB-0616533) to P.E. Berry, by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science through project CGL2009-13322-C03-03 to L. Barres and J. Molero, and by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research through project 10-04-00290-а to D. Geltman and A. Kryukov.Peer reviewe