Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Bayat, Soheila [1], Morawetz, Jeffery [2], Hammack, David [1], Shrum, Skylar  [1], Singh, Natasha [3], Randle, Christopher [4].

Preliminary phylogenetic investigation of the genus Buchnera L. (Orobanchaceae).

With approximately 100 species, Buchnera L. is the largest genus in the tropical clade of Orobanchaceae. Buchnera is a group of pantropical hemiparasites with approximately 80 Old World species and 16 New World species. Although Buchnera is well supported as monophyletic in previous studies, to date, no phylogenetic analysis has sampled more than seven species.  Further, New World species are undersampled in all such studies, with no study including more than one such species.  The most thoroughly sampled analyses of the tropical clade of Orobanchaceae are equivocal about the relationships of other genera to Buchnera.  Invariably, Buchnera is placed in a clade that includes Striga and Cycnium, both distributed in the Old World. However, analyses either fail to support any of the alternative sister relationships of these three genera, provide low support, or conflict with other such studies.  Goals of this study include 1) testing the monophyly of Buchnera with a robust sample of Buchnera species and outgroups, 2) investigating biogeographical explanations for New World diversity, and 3) assessing alternative hypotheses of relationships among genera of the tribe Buchnereae with greater generic and species sampling than in previous analyses.  These hypotheses were tested using a molecular genetic approach including four plastid loci (matK, rps2, rpl16, and rbcL) and two nuclear loci (ITS and phyB) obtained from more than 24 species of Buchnera of both the new and Old World.  Outgroup sampling includes multiple species from the hypothesized most-closely related genera Striga, Cycnium, and Sopubia as well as additional genera that have not been sampled in published phylogenetic analyses.

1 - Sam Houston State University, Biological Sciences, 1900 Avenue I, Huntsville, TX, 77340, USA
2 - Rancho Santa Anna Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Ave, , Claremont, , CA , 91711, USA
3 - Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA, 91711, USA
4 - Sam Houston State University, Department of Biological Sciences, P. O. Box 2116, Huntsville, TX, 77340, USA

Keywords:
Orobanchaceae
parasitic plants
Buchnera
Cycnium
Striga
systematics.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 45
Location: River Fork/Grove
Date: Wednesday, July 30th, 2014
Time: 2:15 PM
Number: 45004
Abstract ID:101
Candidate for Awards:None