Abstract Detail

Systematics Section / ASPT

Zomlefer, W. B. [3], Whitten, W. M. [1], Judd, W. S. [2], Williams, N. H. [1].

Infrageneric phylogeny of Schoenocaulon (Liliales: Melanthiaceae) based o­n ITS sequence data.

According to the most recent monograph, Schoenocaulon comprises 24 species in two disjunct areas: north central Florida (one species, S. dubium), and the region from southeastern New Mexico-Texas south to Venezuela and Peru. The plants generally inhabit barrens, prairies, alpine grasslands, and pine-oak forests, and the many Mexican endemics are geographically restricted, often to a single mountain range. Schoenocaulon is a monophyletic genus, well supported by several morphological synapomorphies: the distinctive fibrous-tunicate bulb (covered by dark brown to black scales and fibers); the relatively long, bottlebrush-like spicate inflorescence of tiny, sessile to subsessile flowers with conspicuously exserted stamens; and winged seeds.However, species delimitations, often based o­n tepal morphology, have been problematic in this odd genus.Our preliminary analyses of morphological, geographical, and ITS sequence data for Schoenocaulon species and infraspecific taxa, thus far, support recognition of several new species and recircumscription and placement of several difficult species, as well as allow insight into the evolution some unusual morphological characters within the genus, such as nectary and tepal margin type.

Related Links:
Phylogeny of the Melanthiaceae (Liliales)

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
3 - University of Georgia, Department of Plant Biology, 2502 Plant Sciences, Athens, Georgia, 30602-7271, U.S.A.

Keywords:
Schoenocaulon
ITS
Melanthiaceae
Liliales.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 32-75
Location: Special Event Center (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:45