View article

Tragopogon L. (Lactuceae, Cichorioideae, Scorzonerinae) is an Old World genus of ca. 150 species. To elucidate relationships in this poorly understood genus, we analyzed internal and external transcribed spacer sequences (ITS and ETS, respectively) from 59 species from 14 of the 17 sections recognized by Borisova. Podospermum and Lactuca were used as outgroups. ITS and ETS sequence data provide strong support for the monophyly of Tragopogon under parsimony optimality criteria. Sequence data also support the monophyly of several of the recognized sections within Tragopogon, including the sections Tragopogon, Majores, Hebecarpus, Chromopappus, and Collini. However, the circumscriptions of these groups are often altered from the taxonomic treatment of Borisova. Most members of the recognized sections Brevirostres and Profundisulcati appear within the Brevirostres and Profundisulcati …