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Abstract
The genus, Callisia (Commelinaceae), of the subtribe Tradescantiinae, currently consists of approximately 20 species confined to the New World tropics and warm temperate zones. Molecular phylogenies using chloroplast gene regions of ndhF and trnL-F substantiate that the genus is polyphyletic. Callisia sensu lato is reinterpreted via the molecular phylogenetic analyses correlated with morphological, anatomical, geographical, and chromosomal data. Molecular topologies and strongly supported tree statistics provide a sound argument for elevating two sections, Cuthbertia and Brachyphylla, to generic status, and for treating one species of section Leptocallisia under Phyodina. Callisia sensu stricto is redefined to include sections Callisia and Hadrodemas. The genus sensu lato retains the remaining members of section Leptocallisia and the one member of section Lauia pending further taxon sampling.