TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY OF VIETNAMESE SPONDIAS L. (ANACARDIACEAE)

Abstract

Spondias is a small genus of Anacardiaceae. Vietnamese Spondias has remained taxonomically unresolved and the infrageneric relationship within the genus has been disputed. Here, we present molecular phylogenetic analyses of this genus and its close relatives using a combined dataset of the chloroplast rbcL, matK, and trnL-F regions. Molecular analyses strongly supported the monophyly of Spondias with two major clades and Vietnamese Spondias was placed within Asian Spondias clade. Based on both morphological and molecular data, we recognized two species of Spondias: S. dulcis Parkinson and S. pinnata (L. f.) Kurz in Vietnam. The key and description for Vietnamese Spondias species were provided. We also suggested to recognize Spondias petelotii as a synonym of Allospondias lakonensis.