The Campanulaceae is a widely-distributed flowering plant family that contains many important and attractive garden ornamentals. Determination of phylogenetic relationships within the family has been problematical due to reliance on morphological characters that have undergone repeated convergent and parallel evolution. This project will use chloroplast DNA data to generate the first modern phylogeny of the family. The molecular research has two major phases: 1) characterization and delimitation of the distribution of chloroplast DNA structural rearrangements (inversions) throughout the family and their possible mechanisms; and, 2) sequencing ORFK from the chloroplast DNA of representative species in the family and related taxa. Phylogenies generated from rearrangement and sequence data can be used to compare systematic results generated from these two different types of molecular approaches. The resulting DNA phylogenies will enable an independent assessment of morphological, chemical, and chromosomal evolution in the Campanulaceae. Sequence comparisons will also provide information regarding relative rates and patterns of chloroplast DNA evolution.
