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Systematics Section / ASPT

Ionta, Gretchen M. [2], Williams, N. H. [1], Whitten, W. M. [1], Judd, Walter S. [2].

Relationships within a temperate genus of Melastomataceae: Rhexia, the meadow beauties..

Rhexia is the sole genus in the large tropical family Melastomataceae endemic to North America. The 11 species in this genus of showy perennial herbs are concentrated in the south-eastern portion of the U.S. coastal plain, ranging from Canada to Cuba and as far west as Texas. Revisions by James (1956) and later by Kral & Bostick (1969) provided a taxonomic framework for the genus. We analyzed data from morphological characters and sequences obtained from plastid DNA and nrITS in the first phylogenetic study of this group. The separate plastid and nuclear analyses resulted in well-supported but different topologies, suggesting the possibility of past hybridization events within the genus. In order to test this hypothesis and identify species of hybrid origin and their putative parents we will include a single or low copy nuclear marker in the analysis.


1 - University of Florida, Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-7800, USA
2 - University of Florida, Department of Botany, 220 Bartram Hall, P.O. Box 118526, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-8526, USA

Keywords:
Melastomataceae
Rhexia
phylogeny
hybridization.

Presentation Type: Paper
Session: 38-8
Location: Cottonwood A (Snowbird Center)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 4:00 PM
Abstract ID:307


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