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Stem Anatomy Of Climbing Palms In Relation To Long-Distance Water Transport, P. Barry Tomlinson Jan 2006

Stem Anatomy Of Climbing Palms In Relation To Long-Distance Water Transport, P. Barry Tomlinson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Palms lack secondary growth so their primary vascular system is long-lived and must be minimally vulnerable to dysfunction. For water movement, the axial xylem must be well defended against cavitation. Climbing palms can be very long and represent a maximum solution to transport problems. How is this demonstrated in their anatomy? This article contrasts stem vascular anatomy in a canelike "tree palm" (Rhapis excelsa) with that in the American climbing palm Desmoncus and the Old World rattan genus Calamus. Rhapis, representing the basic classical palm vasculature, has a continuously integrated vascular system determined by branching of the axial …


Phylogeny, Genome Size, And Chromosome Evolution Of Asparagales, J. Chris Pires, Ivan J. Maureira, Thomas J. Givnish, Kenneth J. Systma, Ole Seberg, Gitte Peterson, Jerrold I. Davis, Dennis W. Stevenson, Paula J. Rudall, Michael F. Fay, Mark W. Chase Jan 2006

Phylogeny, Genome Size, And Chromosome Evolution Of Asparagales, J. Chris Pires, Ivan J. Maureira, Thomas J. Givnish, Kenneth J. Systma, Ole Seberg, Gitte Peterson, Jerrold I. Davis, Dennis W. Stevenson, Paula J. Rudall, Michael F. Fay, Mark W. Chase

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Asparagales are a diverse monophyletic order that has numerous species (ca. 50% of monocots) including important crop plants such as Allium, Asparagus, and Vanilla, and a host of ornamentals such as irises, hyacinths, and orchids. Historically, Asparagales have been of interest partly because of their fascinating chromosomal evolution. We examine the evolutionary dynamics of Asparagales genomes in an updated phylogenetic framework that combines analyses of seven gene regions (atp1, atpB, matK, ndhF, rbcL, trnL intron, and trnL-F intergenic spacer) for 79 taxa of Asparagales and outgroups. Asparagales genomes are evolutionarily labile for …


Genomic Resources For Asparagales, Michael J. Havey, Kenneth C. Sink, Maria Jenderek, Christopher D. Town Jan 2006

Genomic Resources For Asparagales, Michael J. Havey, Kenneth C. Sink, Maria Jenderek, Christopher D. Town

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Enormous genomic resources have been developed for plants in the monocot order Poales; however, it is not known how useful these resources will be for other economically important monocots. Asparagales are a monophyletic order sister to class Commelinanae that carries Poales, and is the second most economically important monocot order. Development of genomic resources for and their application to Asparagales are challenging because of huge nuclear genomes and the relatively long generation times required to develop segregating families. We synthesized a normalized eDNA library of onion (Allium cepa) and produced II ,008 unique expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for …


Phylogeny Of Agavaceae Based On Ndhf, Rbcl, And Its Sequences, David J. Bogler, J. Chris Pires, Javier Francisco-Ortega Jan 2006

Phylogeny Of Agavaceae Based On Ndhf, Rbcl, And Its Sequences, David J. Bogler, J. Chris Pires, Javier Francisco-Ortega

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Great advances have been made in our understanding of the phylogeny and classification of Agavaceae in the last 20 years. In older systems Agavaceae were paraphyletic due to overemphasis of ovary position or habit. Discovery of a unique bimodal karyotype in Agave and Yucca eventually led to a reexamination of concepts and relationships in all the lilioid monocots, which continues to the present day. Developments in cytogenetics, microscopy, phylogenetic systematics, and most recently DNA technology have led to remarkable new insights. Large-scale rbcL sequence studies placed Agavaceae with the core Asparagales and identified closely related taxa. Analysis of cpDNA …


Systematics Of Xanthorrhoeaceae Sensu Lato, With An Emphasis On Bulbine, Dion S. Devey, Ilia Leitch, J. Chris Pires, Yohan Pillon, Mark W. Chase Jan 2006

Systematics Of Xanthorrhoeaceae Sensu Lato, With An Emphasis On Bulbine, Dion S. Devey, Ilia Leitch, J. Chris Pires, Yohan Pillon, Mark W. Chase

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We provide here results of a combined analysis of plastid genes rbcL, matK, and ndhF for Xanthorrhoeaceae s.l., the Asphodelaceae/Xanthorrhoeaceae/Hemerocallidaceae clade, which are well supported by the DNA data. Xanthorrhoea (often treated as the sole member of Xanthorrhoeaceae) is sister to the hemerocallid clade (former Hemerocallidaceae); and the asphodelid clade (formerly Asphodelaceae) is sister to them both. For additional species of Bulbine and Jodrellia (both Asphodeloideae), we also collected rps16 intron and ITS nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences to better assess their relationships. Bulbine, with Jodrellia, embedded are sister to the collective genera of subfamily Alooideae in …


The Never-Ending Story: Multigene Approaches To The Phylogeny Of Amaryllidaceae, Alan W. Meerow, Deirdre A. Snuman Jan 2006

The Never-Ending Story: Multigene Approaches To The Phylogeny Of Amaryllidaceae, Alan W. Meerow, Deirdre A. Snuman

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

a whole, strongly supported the mostly African tribe Amaryllideae as sister to the rest of the family, and resolved geographically-based monophyletic groups, but failed to resolve the relationships among several basal lineages in the family (the African Haemantheae and Cyrtantheae, the Australasian Calostemmateae, and the American and Eurasian sister clades). We present analysis of plastid ndhF sequences that fully resolved the major clades of the family. The baccate-fruited Haemantheae and Calostemmateae are sister tribes, and the African endemic Cyrtantheae is sister to them both. This clade is sister to an American/Eurasian clade. We also present preliminary nuclear ribosomal ITS …


Molecular Studies Of Subfamily Gilliesioideae (Alliaceae), Michael F. Fay, Paula J. Rudall, Mark W. Chase Jan 2006

Molecular Studies Of Subfamily Gilliesioideae (Alliaceae), Michael F. Fay, Paula J. Rudall, Mark W. Chase

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We present an analysis of relationships in Gilliesioideae (Alliaceae) based on a combined matrix of plastid rbcL, the trnL intron, the trnL-F intergenic spacer, and the rps16 intron and nuclear ITS ribosomal DNA sequences. The results are generally congruent with previous analyses, indicating two well-supported groups: Ipheion plus allied genera ("lpheieae" ined.) and Gilliesieae. They also provide higher bootstrap support for many patterns of relationships. Polyphyly of lpheion and Nothoscordum is confirmed. Increased taxon sampling (particularly in Gilliesieae) and additional molecular data would be desirable to provide further resolution and to allow an appropriate taxonomic revision …


Phylogeny And New Intrageneric Classification Of Allium (Alliaceae) Based On Nuclear Ribosomal Dna Its Sequences, Nikolai Friesen, Reinhard M. Fritsch, Frank R. Blattner Jan 2006

Phylogeny And New Intrageneric Classification Of Allium (Alliaceae) Based On Nuclear Ribosomal Dna Its Sequences, Nikolai Friesen, Reinhard M. Fritsch, Frank R. Blattner

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA was sequenced from 195 representative species of Allium, two species of Nothoscordum, and one species each of lpheion, Dichelostemma, and Tulbaghia. Within the Allium species the lengths of the ITS regions were in a range from 612 to 661 base pairs and pairwise genetic distances reached up to 46%. The ITS data supported the inclusion of Nectaroscordum, Caloscordum, and Milula into Allium. Subgenera Rhizirideum and Allium, as well as sects. Reticulatobulbosa and Oreiprason were non-monophyletic taxa. Based on the phylogenetic relations, a new classification of genus Allium consisting of 15 …


Phylogeny Of Iridaceae Subfamily Crocoideae Based On A Combined Multigene Plastid Dna Analysis, Peter Goldblatt, T. Jonathan Davies, John C. Manning, Michelle Van Der Bank, Vincent Savolainen Jan 2006

Phylogeny Of Iridaceae Subfamily Crocoideae Based On A Combined Multigene Plastid Dna Analysis, Peter Goldblatt, T. Jonathan Davies, John C. Manning, Michelle Van Der Bank, Vincent Savolainen

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogeny of Crocoideae, the largest of four subfamilies currently recognized in Tridaceae, has eluded resolution until sequences of two more plastid DNA regions were added here to a previously published matrix containing sequences from four DNA plastid regions. Sister to the core Nivenioideae, the woody Klattia, Nivenia, and Witsenia, Crocoideae are a climax group in lridaceae, comprising some 995 species, slightly more than half of the total in the family. Synapomorphies of Crocoideae include pollen exine perforate, pollen aperture operculate, ovule campylotropous (or hypotropous), root xylem vessels with simple perforations, cormous rootstock, inflorescence a spike, and plants deciduous. The …


Phylogenetics Of The "Tiger-Flower" Group (Tigridieae: Iridaceae): Molecular And Morphological Evidence, Aaron Rodriguez, Kenneth J. Sytsma Jan 2006

Phylogenetics Of The "Tiger-Flower" Group (Tigridieae: Iridaceae): Molecular And Morphological Evidence, Aaron Rodriguez, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogenetic relationships among 23 species of the tribe Tigridieae (lridaceae) were inferred using morphological data and nucleotide sequences from nuclear ITS and three intergenic spacers of the cpDNA: psbA-trnH, trnT-trnL, and trnL-trnF. Although all data sets supported a monophyletic Mexican-Guatemalan Tigridiinae including two taxa usually placed in Cipurinae (Cardiostigma longispatha and Nemastylis convoluta), neither morphology, cpDNA, nor ITS resolved phylogenetic relationships within this lineage. A graphical tree of trees analysis showed the cladograms derived from morphology to be the most topologically distinct within the set of all trees …


Patterns In Evolution In Characters That Define Iris Subgenera And Sections, Carol A. Wilson Jan 2006

Patterns In Evolution In Characters That Define Iris Subgenera And Sections, Carol A. Wilson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Subgeneric groups have been circumscribed in Iris based on a small number of morphological characters. Recent DNA sequence data has indicated that several of the subgenera, sections, and series that have previously been delineated are paraphyletic or polyphyletic. The evolution of characters that have traditionally been used to distinguish sub generic and sectional groups within Iris was investigated by mapping these characters on a phylogenetic tree based on matK sequence data. Results indicate that rhizomes are pleisomorphic for the genus and that three bulb types have arisen independently. My analysis shows that sepal beards, sepal crests, and seed arils …


The Role Of Phylogenetic Constraints In The Evolution Of Pollination Mechanisms In Iridaceae Of Sub-Saharan Africa, Peter Bernhardt, Peter Goldblatt Jan 2006

The Role Of Phylogenetic Constraints In The Evolution Of Pollination Mechanisms In Iridaceae Of Sub-Saharan Africa, Peter Bernhardt, Peter Goldblatt

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Novel, specialized systems exploiting bibionid flies, oil-collecting bees, wasps, or crepuscular settling moths as pollen vectors are added to the range of recorded pollination mechanisms in sub-Saharan Africa Iridaceae, while knowledge of the pollination of previously understudied genera such as Aristea, Bahiana, Ferraria, Hesperantha, and Tritoniopsis is expanded. The pollination of 357 species of the sub-Saharan African Iridaceae now includes 17 discrete systems. Based on repetitive interlinked suites of floral attractants and rewards we now infer pollination mechanisms for an additional 883 species. Many pollination systems recur in genera containing > 10 species. The ancestral pollination in African Iridaceae, and …


Phlogeny And Biogeography Of The Prayer Plant Family, Linda M. Prince, W. John Kress Jan 2006

Phlogeny And Biogeography Of The Prayer Plant Family, Linda M. Prince, W. John Kress

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Marantaceae are the second largest family in the order Zingiberales, with approximately 31 genera and 535 species. Earlier studies based on morphological and molecular characters could not confidently determine the relationships among major lineages of the family, nor could they identify the basal branch of the family tree. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data from all three genomic compartments (chloroplast: matK, ndhF, rbcL, rps16 intron, and trnL-trnF intergenic spacer; mitochondrion: cox1; nucleus: ITS region and the 5'-end of 26S) for a restricted set of taxa were conducted under parsimony criteria to define …


Phylogenetic Relationships Of Monocots Based On The Highly Informative Plastid Gene Ndhf, Thomas J. Givnish, J. Chris Pires, Sean W. Graham, Marc A. Mcpherson, Linda M. Prince, Thomas B. Patterson, Hardeep S. Rai, Eric H. Roalson, Timothy M. Evans, William J. Hahn, Kendra C. Millam, Alan W. Meerow, Mia Molvray, Paul J. Kores, Heath W. O'Brien, Jocelyn C. Hall, W. John Kress, Kenneth J. Sytsma Jan 2006

Phylogenetic Relationships Of Monocots Based On The Highly Informative Plastid Gene Ndhf, Thomas J. Givnish, J. Chris Pires, Sean W. Graham, Marc A. Mcpherson, Linda M. Prince, Thomas B. Patterson, Hardeep S. Rai, Eric H. Roalson, Timothy M. Evans, William J. Hahn, Kendra C. Millam, Alan W. Meerow, Mia Molvray, Paul J. Kores, Heath W. O'Brien, Jocelyn C. Hall, W. John Kress, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We used ndhF sequence variation to reconstruct relationships across 282 taxa representing 78 monocot families and all 12 orders. The resulting tree is highly resolved and places commelinids sister to Asparagales, with both sister to Liliales—Pandanales in the strict consensus; Pandanales are sister to Dioscoreales in the bootstrap majority-rule tree, just above Petrosaviales. Acorales are sister to all other monocots, with Alismatales sister to all but Acorales. Relationships among the four major clades of commelinids remain unresolved. Relationships within orders are consistent with those based on rbcL, alone or in combination with atpB and 18S nrDNA, and …


Aperture Pattern And Microsporogenesis In Asparagales, Sophie Nadot, Laurent Penet, Leanne D. Dreyer, Arlette Forchioni, Adrienne Ressayre Jan 2006

Aperture Pattern And Microsporogenesis In Asparagales, Sophie Nadot, Laurent Penet, Leanne D. Dreyer, Arlette Forchioni, Adrienne Ressayre

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The aperture pattern of pollen grains is a character defined as the number, shape, and position of apertures. Although this character is highly variable in angiosperms, two states are particularly widespread. Pollen grains with one polar aperture occur frequently in basal angiosperms and monocots while tricolpate pollen is a synapomorphy of the eudicots. Many morphological characters are the result of a compromise between selective forces (acting on morphology) and developmental constraints (limiting the range of possible morphologies). To investigate what are the respective roles of development and selection in the determination of aperture pattern in angiosperms, we have chosen to …


Pollination Biology And Adaptive Radiation Of Agavaceae, With Special Emphasis On The Genus Agave, Martha Rocha, Sara V. Good-Ávila, Fracisco Molina-Freaner, Hector T. Arita, Amanda Castillo, Abisaí García-Mendoza, Arturo Silva-Montellano, Brandon S. Gaut, Valeria Souza, Luis E. Eguiarte Jan 2006

Pollination Biology And Adaptive Radiation Of Agavaceae, With Special Emphasis On The Genus Agave, Martha Rocha, Sara V. Good-Ávila, Fracisco Molina-Freaner, Hector T. Arita, Amanda Castillo, Abisaí García-Mendoza, Arturo Silva-Montellano, Brandon S. Gaut, Valeria Souza, Luis E. Eguiarte

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Agavaceae are an American family that comprises nine genera and ca. 300 species distributed in arid and semiarid environments, mainly in Mexico. The family is very successful and displays a wide array of ecological, reproductive, and morphological adaptations. Many of its members play important roles as keystone species, because they produce abundant resources during the reproductive season. In this paper we analyze the current knowledge about the pollination ecology of the different genera in the family and the role that pollination systems have played in the ecological and phylogenetic success of the group. After providing an overview of each of …


Molecular Phylogentics Systematics In Dendrobieae (Orchidaceae), Mark A. Clements Jan 2006

Molecular Phylogentics Systematics In Dendrobieae (Orchidaceae), Mark A. Clements

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Molecular systematic research, using DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the 18-26S nuclear ribosomal repeat unit, was conducted on a broadly representative sample of the tribe Dendrobieae. The results provide independent support, in addition to evidence from plastid DNA analysis and morphology, for the phylogenetic reassessment of the taxon. At a broad level, Dendrobieae are polyphyletic with Dendrobium sect. Oxystophyllum being deeply embedded within one of the outgroup taxa, subtribe Eriinae: Podochileae. The remaining taxa form a weakly supported monophyletic group consisting of three major clades, Epigeneium, sister to predominantly Asian and Australasian clades. This author …


Subtribal Relationships In Tribe Tradescantieae (Commelinaceae)Based On Molecular And Morphological Data, Dylan J. Wade, Timothy M. Evans, Robert B. Faden Jan 2006

Subtribal Relationships In Tribe Tradescantieae (Commelinaceae)Based On Molecular And Morphological Data, Dylan J. Wade, Timothy M. Evans, Robert B. Faden

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Tribe Tradescantieae (Commelinaceae) consists of seven subtribes and 25 genera. Previous attempts to evaluate phylogenetic relationships within the group using morphology or the chloroplast-encoded rbcL have either been highly homoplasious (morphology) or provided only weak support for subtribal relationships due to insufficient variability (rbcL). In this study, phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequence data from the chloroplast-encoded ndhF and rbcL genes, as well as 47 morphological and anatomical characters, were used to evaluate relationships within and among the subtribes of Tradescantieae. The addition of ndhF resulted in a more highly resolved phylogeny and greater bootstrap …


Systematic Floral Anatomy Of Pontederiaceae, Michael G. Simpson, Darren H. Burton Jan 2006

Systematic Floral Anatomy Of Pontederiaceae, Michael G. Simpson, Darren H. Burton

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Twenty species of Pontederiaceae and six species of the outgroup families Haemodoraceae and Philydraceae were investigated with regard to floral anatomy, using standard histological methods and graphic reconstructions. Variation is described in several features, including functional carpel number, the distribution of floral aerenchyma, the presence of unusual floral epithelial cells, the presence, type, and distribution of tannin cells, crystal type and distribution, aspects of placentation, ovule number, number of ovule rows per carpel, and septal nectary presence. In order to better assess character homology, one of these features, placentation, was divided into three discrete characters: septal fusion, placenta position, and …