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Cover image

On the Front Cover: Phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of flowering plants are becoming better understood, due in large part to recent cladistic analyses of DNA sequences. The cover photo is a modified cladogram for the orders of angiosperms, with the phylogenetic placement of several model plant species indicated. In the related Scientific Correspondence "Plant Systematics in the Age of Genomics", Daly et al. (pp. 1328–1333) discuss the potential use of genomics in plant biodiversity studies. As the sequences of model genomes such as Arabidopsis are completed and crop species such as rice are well underway, now is the time to consider new biodiverse plant species for genome analysis. The authors make a case that selection of the new plant species for genomic treatment should consider phylogenetic position, along with other criteria, and that the sequences of these new genomes will further understanding of gene function through comparative genomics.