How has DNA evidence helped scientists study Caryophyllales evolution?

Because the order Caryophyllales has left virtually no fossil record, its evolutionary origins were largely obscure and speculative before the use of DNA evidence. Molecular data has since become the primary tool for determining the phylogeny of these plants.12

DNA analysis has helped scientists clarify the order's history in several key ways:

• Placement: It established the order's remote position within the eudicot flowering plants, identifying it as a basal group within the core eudicots.13
• Lineage Identification: Researchers have identified the South American family Rhabdodendraceae as the first diverging lineage within the order.1
• Trait Evolution: DNA evidence suggests a single origin for carnivorous plants within the order, despite the diversity of insect-capture methods that evolved later. It has also helped untangle the complex evolutionary history of pigments, specifically the relationship between anthocyanins and betalains.1
• Grouping: Molecular studies have helped organize the "core Caryophyllales," clarifying relationships among various families, including those that are succulent or possess CAM photosynthesis.1