Phylogenetic Analysis: Unravelling the Evolutionary Relationships of Emblica urinaria, Eragrotis tenella, Alternanthera sessilis, Sieruela rutidosperma, and Cyperus brevifolius

This study explores the relationships among diverse plant species using cladogram construction, aiming to uncover their evolutionary history and its connection to changes over time on Earth. Cladogram construction and Character Data Matrix are utilized for phylogenetic analysis. Morphological character states are employed to represent the uniqueness and relatedness of various taxonomic species, supported by relevant literature to establish a branching pattern of relatedness. The study's objectives include understanding cladograms and character matrices, creating a cladogram using plant characters from a previous laboratory report, comprehending the concept of cladograms, and familiarizing oneself with ancestral and derived character states. The study's findings contribute to identifying the most common shared similarity among morphological traits. These similarities are coded in a character data matrix, allowing for a more comparable table and aiding in determining the appropriate position of species within the cladogram. The cladogram positions several plant species, such as Emblica urinaria, Eragrostis tenella, Alternanthera sessilis, Sieruela rutidosperma, Cyperus brevifolius, and Silene dioica, as the outgroup. All character states included in the cladogram are identified as synapomorphies. Based on thecladogram, two phylogenetic hypotheses emerge. E. tenella and C. brevifolius form a monophyletic group due to their shared order and "fibrous" root type, while homoplasy is observed in the "zygomorphic" character state shared by S. rutidosperma and C. brevifolius. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis reveals that all chosen plant taxa are perennial herb species sharing a common ancestor. The study underscores the importance of biodiversity and its distribution in the environment. However, the analysis concludes that using morphological characters alone is insufficient for accurately representing the evolutionary history of organisms. Despite this limitation, engaging in such activities is highly recommended to enhance understanding of cladograms and character matrices.