XVI International Botanical Congess

Parsimony analysis of ITS sequences in Rubus indicates that subg. Rubus (blackberries), excluding R. ursinus and including R. alpinus of subg. Lampobatus, forms a strongly supported clade. This lineage contains a subclade of New World species plus European R. nessensis and a subclade of three European species. At six sites distinguishing North American and European species, five of the species are polymorphic. These polymorphisms may have resisted concerted evolution or may be of recent hybrid origin. With polymorphic species removed from analysis, the New World clade divides into North and South American subclades, and the European species also form a clade. Results using Templeton-Crandall-Sing (TCS) parsimony are congruent with and more resolved than straight parsimony trees. All results are not consistent with classifications that unite North American and European species in section Rubus.