Infrageneric and Sectional Relationships in the Genus Rhododendron(Ericaceae) Inferred from ITS Sequence Data

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (including 5.8S rRNA) of 15 Rhododendron, species, representing most sections of the genus, one Ledum species and Cassiope fastigiata were sequenced. Together with the ITS sequences of 13 selected Rhododendron species and Bejaria racemosa downloaded from GenBank, we explored the infrageneric and sectional relationships of this important North Temperate genus by employing maximum-parsimony analysis using PAUP software. C. fastigiata and B. racemosa were designated as outgroups. The ITS-based tree inferred that: (1) Rhododendron was a well-supported monophyletic group, while subg. Therorhodion was basal to the rest of the genus; (2) Ledum was a member of Rhododendron, and its close relationship with the lepidote rhododendron was confirmed; (3) the lepidote rhododendron plus Ledum formed a strongly-supported monophyletic clade which was sister to the rest of the elepidote rhododendron; (4) the elepidote rhododendron formed a weakly-supported clade within which the monophyly of subg. Hynwrianthes and subg. Tsutsusi were strongly supported, while subg. Pentanthera and subg. Azaleastrum were polyphyletic; and (5) the monophyly of sect. Choniastnini, (subg. Azaleastrum) was strongly-supported, while subg. Tsutsusi could be sister to a weakly-supported clade composed of two sampled species of sect. Azaleastrum (subg. Azaleastrum) together with R. sentibarbatum, of subg. Mumeazalea.