Molecular Phylogeny of Fabaceae based on rbcL sequence data: With special emphasis on the tribe Mimoseae (Mimosoideae)

Abstract. A cladistic analysis using rbcL sequence data of 23 species from 16 genera of Mimoseae with two species of Acacieae, four species of Ingeae, one species of Parkieae, 11 species of Caesalpinioideae and five species of Papilionoideae as the study group, and two species of Polygalaceae as the outgroup taxa, was conducted. The result although very preliminary provides very informative findings which confirm the paraphyly of the tribe Mimoseae and support the monophyly of the genera Mimosa, Entada and Neptunia; and the Adenanthera group. The results also support the monophyly of the subfamily Mimosoideae and the subfamily Papilionoideae and confirms the paraphyly of the Caesalpinioideae. Kanaloa kahoolawensis (a species from Hawaii which is still uncertain for the placement) is found to be closely related to Leucaena leucocephala in Leucaena group