Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Mora, M. Marcela [1], Clark, John L. [1].

Pruning the polyphyletic genus Paradrymonia (Gesneriaceae) and the resurrection of Trichodrymonia and Centrosolenia.

Paradrymonia Hanst. (Gesneriaceae) with 38 currently recognized species is a genus of facultative epiphytic herbs that inhabit the understory of forests. The genus occurs throughout the Neotropics except for southeast Brazil and the Caribbean with centers of diversity in Colombia and Ecuador. Monophyly of Paradrymonia and species relationships within the genus and closely related genera were evaluated based on molecular sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal (nrDNA) internal and external transcribed spacer regions (ITS and ETS), and the chloroplast (cpDNA) psbA-trnH intergenic spacer. Analyses utilizing parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods were used to assess phylogenetic relationships among 27 species of Paradrymonia and 53 taxa from closely related genera. A preliminary analysis strongly supports that Paradrymonia, as currently circumscribed, is polyphyletic and includes taxa in three main clades. The clade that contains the type species is recognized as Paradrymonia sensu stricto (s.s) and includes the following three species: Paradrymonia campostyla, P. ciliosa, and P. glabra. The Paradrymonia s.s. clade is sister to a clade that includes species of Nautilocalyx, Chrysothemis and most of the species traditionally recognized as Paradrymonia. A third clade including P. anisophylla is closely related to Codonanthopsis. Our results support the re-circumscription of Paradrymonia and the resurrection of two previously recognized genus names, Centrosolenia and Trichodrymonia, in order to accommodate the remaining ex-Paradrymonia species. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that Nautilocalyx is paraphyletic and needs to be re-circumbscribed. Nautilocalyx in the strict sense should be restricted to a clade that includes mostly taxa from Central America, the Choco Biogeographic region and the northern Andes, including the type species for the genus (i.e. N. bracteatus). Nautilocalyx s.s is sister to theTrichodrymonia clade and its species mainly differ from the ones comprising the Amazonian “Nautilocalyx” clade by the presence of infundibuliform or trumpet shape corollas (vs. tubular) and linear calyces (vs. leafy and ovate). Our data also suggest the segregation of the Amazonian “Nautilocalyx” clade as a separate genus.

Broader Impacts:

1 - The University of Alabama, Biological Sciences, Box 870345, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

Keywords:
Gesneriaceae
Neotropics
Polyphyletic
phylogeny
Paradrymonia.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 49
Location: Marlborough A/Riverside Hilton
Date: Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Time: 1:45 PM
Number: 49002
Abstract ID:902
Candidate for Awards:None