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The recently established tribe Gomphostemmateae (Lamiaceae) consists of Gomphostemma, Bostrychanthera and Chelonopsis, but relationships within and between these genera have not been well studied. Only six of the approximately 46 species of Gomphostemmateae have been included in any previous phylogenetic analysis. In the present study, we used DNA sequences of two nuclear regions (ITS, ETS) and five plastid loci (psbA-trnH, rpsl6, trnL intron, trnL-trnF spacer, trnS-trnG) to reconstruct the phylogeny of the East Asian genus Chelonopsis for the first time. The molecular results indicate that the tribe Gomphostemmateae is monophyletic; Bostrychanthera is embedded in Chelonopsis; and Chelonopsis comprises two clades, one encompassing the taxa of Chelonopsis subg. Chelonopsis and the genus Bostrychanthera and the other consisting of Chelonopsis subg. Aequidens. This split is supported by several morphological characters. These results, which are further strengthened by morphological and cytological data, indicate that Bostrychanthera should be transferred to Chelonopsis. In addition, our results show that within C. subg. Aequidens, sect. Aequidens and sect. Microphyllum are monophyletic. Further-more, two major clades are concordant with the Sino-Japanese and Sino-Himalayan distribution patterns.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromosome numbers and karyotypes of Brachystemma and Craspedolobium, two monotypic genera endemic to eastern Asia, are reported here for the first time. The somatic chromosome numbers are 2n=40 for Brachystemma calycinum and 2n=22 for Craspedolobium unijugum. A karyotype of 2n=2x=40=28m+12sm was found in B. calycinum and that of 2n=2x=22=12m+10sm in C. unijugum, both of them have a moderately symmetrical karyotype type 2B and small-sized chromosomes. Brachystemma has a unique basic chromosome number in Alsinoideae, which may support its isolated taxonomic position. As do some morphological characters, the basic chromosome number x=11 suggests that Craspedolobium belongs in the Millettioid clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Carlemanniaceae comprises two small genera that are restricted to East Asia: the Carlemannia and Silvianthus. These genera were previously placed in the Rubiaceae or Caprifoliaceae, but are now considered a distinct family that is probably related to the Oleaceae in the Lamiales. The family is still poorly understood with respect to its morphological characteristics. Here, we present the first report of the chromosome numbers of the family using species from both genera, i.e., Carlemannia tetragona, Silvianthus bracteatus ssp. bracteatus, and S. bracteatus ssp. clerodendroides. The species were compared with the chromosome numbers of Oleaceae and associated families using a Bayesian tree that was generated from rbcL and ndhF sequence data from Genbank. C. tetragona had 2 n = 30 ( x = 15), whereas the two subspecies of Silvianthus had 2 n = 38 ( x = 19). Comparisons of chromosome numbers support the distinctness of the Carlemanniaceae, not only from the Oleaceae ( x = 11, 13, 23), but also from the Tetrachondraceae ( x = 10, 11), a family that is possibly related to the Carlemanniaceae and/or Oleaceae in the Lamiales. The notable difference in chromosome number between Carlemannia and Silvianthus, as well as the differences in other characteristics (pollen, seed, and fruit morphology), suggests that the family split early in its evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]