Plant Molecular Systematics

(Phylogenetics)
•Systematics classifies species based on similarity
of traits and possible mechanisms of evolution, a
change in the gene pool of a population over time.
•Phylogenetic systematics is that field of biology
that does deal with identifying and understanding
the evolutionary relationships among the many
different kinds of life on earth, both living and dead.
Evolutionary theory states that similarity among
individuals or species is attributable to common
descent, or inheritance from a common ancestor.
•Evolution requires genetic variation which results
from changes within a gene pool, the genetic
make-up of a specific population.
Nodes, each represent a taxonomic unit (species, populations, individuals),
Branches, define the relationship between the taxonomic units in terms of descent
and ancestry.
Branch length usually represents the number of changes that have occurred in
the branch.
Root, representing a common ancestor, from which a unique path leads to any
other node.
Unrooted tree only specifies the relationship among species, without identifying a
common ancestor, or evolutionary path.
In this case, an outgroup could be a gene from another primate, such as baboon,
which is known to have branched away from the four species above before the
common ancestor of the species.
Plant Molecular Systematics
(Phylogenetics)
BY: Mary Beth Craig
 Definitions
• Wikipedia.com defines • Phylogeny is the origin and
Molecular Systematics “a evolution of a set of organisms,
product of the traditional field usually of a species.
of systematics and the growing Wikipedia.com
field of bioinformatics. It is the
process of using data on the
molecular constitution of
biological organisms' DNA,
RNA, or both, in order to
resolve questions in
systematics, i.e. about their
correct scientific classification
or taxonomy from the point of
view of evolutionary biology. It
is also known as
computational systematics. It
may also be referred to as
molecular genetics or
molecular evolution.”
Pictures of DNA & RNA
Examples of Phylogenetic
Trees
Plants from Genus Phlox