| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section / ASPT Chumley, Timothy W. [1], Lee, Hae-Lim [2], Kim, Ki-Joong [2], Jansen, Robert K. [1]. A molecular phylogeny and biogeography of Menodora (Oleaceae). Menodora is a small group in the olive family most closely related to the jasmines. It has an uncommon disjunct distribution in both North and South America and in southern Africa. Preliminary results of a molecular phylogeny using nuclear and chloroplast markers generally show the species to be monophyletic along continental lines. The exception to this is the basal grouping of Menodora spinescens of the Mohave Desert (USA), M. robusta of Patagonia (Argentina) and the three African species. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates support for a South American origin for the group, with an early dispersal to North America and a slightly later arrival in Africa, followed by a species radiation within South America more or less concurrent with a secondary dispersal to and radiation within North America. This is counter to the well established pattern of north and south American disjunctions that usually resulted from immigration from the north, and this is among the first studies that demonstrates this pattern.
1 - University of Texas at Austin, Section of Integrative Biology, 1 Universiy Station, #A6700, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA 2 - Korea University, Department of Biology, Seoul, 136-701, Korea
Keywords: biogeography disjunction Menodora Oleaceae ITS rps16 trnL-F.
Presentation Type: Poster Session: 32-111 Location: Special Event Center (Cliff Lodge) Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004 Time: 12:30 PM Abstract ID:872 |