Ancestral Area Analysis of the Genus Caragara （Leguminosae）

Caragana has a temperate Asian distribution. Based on the phylogeny and 13 distributionalareas of this genus, its ancestral area was studied via the ancestral area analysis suggested by Bremer(1992), Ronquist (1994) and Hausdorf (1997). The results indicate that three areas, Far East-NortheastChina, Altai-Sayan and North China-Qinling Mountains (Mts) are likely the ancestral areas. Linking to theviewpoints of the Holarctic origin for north temperate flora, Far East-Northeast China seems more likely tobe the ancestral area. According to the three ancestral areas isolated geographically and the analysis inthe present study, as well as former biogeographical analysis of this genus, it is suggested that Caraganaspeciation is mainly in the mode of vicariance rather than dispersal, and dispersed is often in shortdistance.