Chloroplast DNA evidence for the evolution of Microseris (Asteraceae) in Australia and New Zealand after long-distance dispersal from western North America

Restriction site mutations and trnL(UAA)-trnF(GAA) intergenic spacer length variants in the chloroplast genome were used to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among 53 Australian and New Zealand Microseris populations and to assess their position within their primarily North American genus. The study was performed to enhance understanding of evolutionary processes within this unique example of intercontinental dispersal and subsequent adaptive radiation. A southern blot method using four-base restriction enzymes and fragment separation on polyacryamide gels resulted in 55 mutations of which 30 were potentially phylogenetically informative. Most mutations were small indels of