Repeated evolution of a morphological novelty: a phylogenetic analysis of the inflated fruiting calyx in the Physalideae tribe (Solanaceae)

Our phylogeny greatly improves the resolution of Physalideae and highlights the need for taxonomic work. The comparative analyses reveal that the inflated fruiting calyx has evolved many times and that the trajectory toward this phenotype is generally stepwise and irreversible. These results provide a strong foundation for studying the genetic and developmental mechanisms responsible for the repeated origins of this charismatic fruit trait.