Editing Cornales (section)

===Phylogeny===

The Cornales order is sister to the remainder of the large and diverse [[asterid]] [[clade]]. 
The Cornales are highly geographically [[disjunct distribution|disjunct]] and [[morphology (biology)|morphologically]] diverse, which has led to considerable confusion regarding the proper circumscription of the groups within the order and the relationships between them.<ref name=Xiang1993>Xiang, Q. Y., [[Douglas E. Soltis|Soltis, D. E.]], Morgan, D. R., and [[Soltis, P. S.]] (1993). Phylogenetic relationships of ''Cornus'' L ''sensu lato'' and putative relatives inferred from rbcL sequence data. ''Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden'' '''80''', 723-734.</ref> Under the [[Cronquist system]], the order comprised the families Cornaceae, Nyssaceae, [[Garryaceae]], and [[Alangiaceae]], and was placed among the [[Rosidae]], but this interpretation is no longer followed. Many families and genera previously associated with the Cornales have been removed, including Garryaceae, ''[[Griselinia]]'', ''[[Corokia]]'', and ''[[Kaliphora]]'', among others.<ref name="Xiang1993" />

Likely cladogram for Cornales:<ref>Based on Figure 11.10 in {{Cite book|last1=Soltis|first1=Douglas|title=Phylogeny and Evolution of the Angiosperms|last2=Soltis|first2=Pamela|last3=Endress|first3=Peter|last4=Chase|first4=Mark W.|last5=Manchester|first5=Steven|last6=Judd|first6=Walter|last7=Majure|first7=Lucas|last8=Mavrodiev|first8=Evgeny|date=2018|publisher=University of Chicago Press|doi=10.7208/chicago/9780226441757.001.0001|isbn=978-0-226-38361-3}}</ref>
{{clade
|label1=Cornales
|1={{clade
   |1={{clade
      |1={{clade
         |1={{clade
            |1=[[Hydrangeaceae]]
            |2=[[Loasaceae]]
            }}
         |2=[[Hydrostachyaceae]]
         }}
      |2=[[Nyssaceae]]
      }}
   |2={{clade
      |1={{clade
         |1=[[Grubbiaceae]]
         |2=[[Curtisiaceae]]
         }}
      |2=[[Cornaceae]]
      }}
   }}
}}

Molecular data suggest four clades are within the Cornales: ''[[Cornus (genus)|Cornus]]-[[Alangium]]'', [[Nyssaceae|nyssoids-mastixioids]], Hydrangeaceae-Loasaceae, and ''[[Grubbiaceae|Grubbia]]-[[Curtisia]]'', with the Hydrostachyaceae in an uncertain position, possibly basal.<ref name=Fan2003>Fan, C. Z., and Xiang, Q. Y. (2003). Phylogenetic analyses of Cornales based on 26S rRNA and combined 26S rDNA-matK-rbcL sequence data. ''American Journal of Botany'' '''90''', 1357-1372.</ref> However, the relationship between these clades is unclear, and as a result of many historical taxonomic interpretations and differing opinions regarding the significance of morphological variations, rankings of taxa within the order are inconsistent.<ref name=Xiang1993 /><ref name=Fan2003 /><ref name=Eyde1988>Eyde, R. H. (1988). Comprehending ''Cornus'' - puzzles and progress in the systematics of the dogwoods. ''Botanical Review'' '''54''', 233-351.</ref> These difficulties in interpreting the systematics of Cornales may represent an early and rapid diversification of the groups within the order.<ref name=Fan2003 />