Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis for establishing phylogenetic relationships among Cattleya and its allied genera

Nine Cattleya species and their allied genera and 36 species of Cattleya were examined to clarify phylogenetic relationships within Cattleyae and Cattleya by using RAPD analyses. Fifteen random primers yielded 70 RAPD markers from 15 species of Cattleya and their allied genera. UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages) calculation presented three clusters, among genera with four pollina which indicate that Cattleya was close to Epidendrum secundum, but distantly related to Encyclia cordigera. Among the eight pollinia genera, 4 genera, namely, Brassavola, Laelia, Rhyncholaelia, and Sophronitis, formed one cluster. Cluster analysis shows that Sophronitelta is close to Leptotes bicolor having six pollinia. Ninety three RAPD markers obtained from 36 Cattleya species by using 9 random primers presented clusters similar to the morphological classification of Cattleya species proposed by Brieger et al. who recognized 4 subgenera, namely, Cattleya, Diphyllae, Skinneri, and Rhisanthemum. In the Diphyllae section, Guttatae was further separated into two clusters, C. guttata and C. schilleriana. C. kerrii ranked between subgenera Cattleya and Diphyllae. Therefore, further studies on genetic information of species belonging to subgenus Diphyllae are needed.