Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Ceballos, Juliana [1], Callejas, Ricardo [2].

Taxonomy of the Paepalanthus Mart. clade (Eriocaulaceae):understanding taxonomy and characterizing the genus.

Eriocaulaceae is a monophyletic clade with ~ 1200 species and 10 genera. The genus Paepalanthus is the more specious one, with almost half of Eriocaulaceae species (~ 485 species). In the Americas, Paepalanthus ranges from Mexico throughout Bolivia and Brazil and it is found in different habitats including lowland Savanna areas (Los Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela), lowland rainforested areas (Colombian Amazon region), and highland forests (Tepuyes in Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela, and paramos (in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela). The phylogeny of this genus has been difficult to assess because of its variable morphology, poor taxonomic knowledge, and difficult identification of informative characters (e.g. flowers are very small, ~1mm). Here, to obtain a more comprehensive taxonomical perspective of this family we have carried out an extensive sampling of Eriocaulaceae in all highland zones in Antioquia and examined all the specimens at local herbaria. We evaluated ~ 20 vegetative and reproductive characters (e.g. number, size, shape and trichome's cover of floral heads, scape length, floral bracts, sepals and petals, length of filaments, size of anthers, shape and size of ovary, as well as shape and size of leaves). Five measurements were made for each character in up to three specimens,. We found 13 species, rather than the four previously reported, four species were not reported before for the region, and five are new species. These results underscore the deficient knowledge of Eriocaulaceae in Colombia showing that additional field and taxonomic work are required. Most of the species studied are living in sympatry in Antioquia highlands, and exhibit strong convergences in vegetative characters. This clade is an useful group to understand processes of diversification in the tropical Andes.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Center for Tropical Paleoecology and Archaeology, Ancon, Gorgas Avenue, Building 235. Panama City, Republic of Panama, Gorgas Ave., Panama, Panama, 00000, Panama
2 - Universidad de Antioquia, Institute of Biology, Street 70 No. 52 - 21., Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia

Keywords:
Medellin-Antioquia
Eriocaulaceae
Paepalanthus
Highland
Taxonomy.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PSY070
Abstract ID:804
Candidate for Awards:None