The Arecoideae is the largest, most diverse and most economically important palm subfamily and yet relationships within the group are poorly understood. Baker et al. collect nuclear DNA sequence data for the low-copy nuclear genes PRK and RPB2 from 190 palm species, covering 103 genera of Arecoideae, and generate the most extensive arecoid phylogeny published to date. Their findings strongly support the current classification of palms, resolve several well-supported ‘deep’ relationships and identify priorities for future research.
