Revisiting phylogenetics of Dahlia , Hidalgoa and allied genera (Coreopsideae, Asteraceae)

Abstract Coreopsideae is a remarkable tribe of Asteraceae with high diversity in the Americas, including the important horticultural genus, Dahlia . We revisit the phylogenetic position and relationships of Dahlia , Dicranocarpus , and Hidalgoa . Species in these genera have been included in several phylogenetic studies, which have yielded conflicting relationships depending on the molecular markers and sampling strategies used. Here, we expand taxon sampling to include Electranthera , Henricksonia , and Heterosperma . Consequently, our work focuses on clarifying the relationships among these genera. We used DArTseq and Sanger sequencing data, together with morphological characters, for 74 species in phylogenetic analyses. We recovered a well‐supported clade comprising Dahlia , Dicranocarpus , Hidalgoa , and Henricksonia . The monophyly of Dahlia , and within it the monophyly of Dahlia sect. Entemophyllon , was corroborated, and Dahlia 's close relationship with Dicranocarpus was confirmed. Hidalgoa was retrieved in a separate clade. Additional sequencing is needed to corroborate the relationship between Hidalgoa and Henricksonia suggested here. Floret sexuality exhibits a more structured and phylogenetically informative distribution than previously recognized. The evolution of functionally staminate disk florets across geographically disjunct lineages points to underlying ecological drivers that merit further investigation.