Dataset Information

Phylogenetic relationships among arecoid palms (Arecaceae: Arecoideae).

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The Arecoideae is the largest and most diverse of the five subfamilies of palms (Arecaceae/Palmae), containing >50 % of the species in the family. Despite its importance, phylogenetic relationships among Arecoideae are poorly understood. Here the most densely sampled phylogenetic analysis of Arecoideae available to date is presented. The results are used to test the current classification of the subfamily and to identify priority areas for future research.

Methods

DNA sequence data for the low-copy nuclear genes PRK and RPB2 were collected from 190 palm species, covering 103 (96 %) genera of Arecoideae. The data were analysed using the parsimony ratchet, maximum likelihood, and both likelihood and parsimony bootstrapping.

Key results and conclusions

Despite the recovery of paralogues and pseudogenes in a small number of taxa, PRK and RPB2 were both highly informative, producing well-resolved phylogenetic trees with many nodes well supported by bootstrap analyses. Simultaneous analyses of the combined data sets provided additional resolution and support. Two areas of incongruence between PRK and RPB2 were strongly supported by the bootstrap relating to the placement of tribes Chamaedoreeae, Iriarteeae and Reinhardtieae; the causes of this incongruence remain uncertain. The current classification within Arecoideae was strongly supported by the present data. Of the 14 tribes and 14 sub-tribes in the classification, only five sub-tribes from tribe Areceae (Basseliniinae, Linospadicinae, Oncospermatinae, Rhopalostylidinae and Verschaffeltiinae) failed to receive support. Three major higher level clades were strongly supported: (1) the RRC clade (Roystoneeae, Reinhardtieae and Cocoseae), (2) the POS clade (Podococceae, Oranieae and Sclerospermeae) and (3) the core arecoid clade (Areceae, Euterpeae, Geonomateae, Leopoldinieae, Manicarieae and Pelagodoxeae). However, new data sources are required to elucidate ambiguities that remain in phylogenetic relationships among and within the major groups of Arecoideae, as well as within the Areceae, the largest tribe in the palm family.

SUBMITTER: Baker WJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3219489 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Phylogenetic relationships among arecoid palms (Arecaceae: Arecoideae).

Baker William J WJ Norup Maria V MV Clarkson James J JJ Couvreur Thomas L P TL Dowe John L JL Lewis Carl E CE Pintaud Jean-Christophe JC Savolainen Vincent V Wilmot Tomas T Chase Mark W MW

Annals of botany 20110216 8

<h4>Background and aims</h4>The Arecoideae is the largest and most diverse of the five subfamilies of palms (Arecaceae/Palmae), containing >50 % of the species in the family. Despite its importance, phylogenetic relationships among Arecoideae are poorly understood. Here the most densely sampled phylogenetic analysis of Arecoideae available to date is presented. The results are used to test the current classification of the subfamily and to identify priority areas for future research.<h4>Methods< ...[more]

PMID: 21325340

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Project description:BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Molecular phylogenetic studies of palms (Arecaceae) have not yet provided a fully resolved phylogeny of the family. There is a need to increase the current set of markers to resolve difficult groups such as the Neotropical subtribe Bactridinae (Arecoideae: Cocoseae). We propose the use of two single-copy nuclear genes as valuable tools for palm phylogenetics. METHODS: New primers were developed for the amplification of the AGAMOUS 1 (AG1) and PHYTOCHROME B (PHYB) genes. For the AGAMOUS gene, the paralogue 1 of Elaeis guineensis (EgAG1) was targeted. The region amplified contained coding sequences between the MIKC K and C MADS-box domains. For the PHYB gene, exon 1 (partial sequence) was first amplified in palm species using published degenerate primers for Poaceae, and then specific palm primers were designed. The two gene portions were sequenced in 22 species of palms representing all genera of Bactridinae, with emphasis on Astrocaryum and Hexopetion, the status of the latter genus still being debated. KEY RESULTS: The new primers designed allow consistent amplification and high-quality sequencing within the palm family. The two loci studied produced more variability than chloroplast loci and equally or less variability than PRK, RPBII and ITS nuclear markers. The phylogenetic structure obtained with AG1 and PHYB genes provides new insights into intergeneric relationships within the Bactridinae and the intrageneric structure of Astrocaryum. The Hexopetion clade was recovered as monophyletic with both markers and was weakly supported as sister to Astrocaryum sensu stricto in the combined analysis. The rare Astrocaryum minus formed a species complex with Astrocaryum gynacanthum. Moreover, both AG1 and PHYB contain a microsatellite that could have further uses in species delimitation and population genetics. CONCLUSIONS: AG1 and PHYB provide additional phylogenetic information within the palm family, and should prove useful in combination with other genes to improve the resolution of palm phylogenies.

Project description:Pollination of Neotropical dioecious trees is commonly related to generalist insects. Similar data for non-tree species with separated genders are inconclusive. Recent studies on pollination of dioecious Chamaedorea palms (Arecaceae) suggest that species are either insect- or wind-pollinated. However, the wide variety of inflorescence and floral attributes within the genus suggests mixed pollination mode involving entomophily and anemophily. To evaluate this hypothesis, we studied the pollination of Chamaedorea costaricana, C. macrospadix, C. pinnatifrons and C. tepejilote in two montane forests in Costa Rica. A complementary morphological analysis of floral traits was carried out to distinguish species groups within the genus according to their most probable pollination mechanism. We conducted pollinator exclusion experiments, field observations on visitors to pistillate and staminate inflorescences, and trapped airborne pollen. A cluster analysis using 18 floral traits selected for their association with wind and insect pollination syndromes was carried out using 52 Chamaedorea species. Exclusion experiments showed that both wind and insects, mostly thrips (Thysanoptera), pollinated the studied species. Thrips used staminate inflorescences as brood sites and pollinated pistillate flowers by deception. Insects caught on pistillate inflorescences transported pollen, while traps proved that pollen is wind-borne. Our empirical findings clearly suggest that pollination of dioecious Chamaedorea palms is likely to involve both insects and wind. A cluster analysis showed that the majority of studied species have a combination of floral traits that allow for both pollination modes. Our pollination experiments and morphological analysis both suggest that while some species may be completely entomophilous or anemophilous, ambophily might be a common condition within Chamaedorea. Our results propose a higher diversity of pollination mechanisms of Neotropical dioecious species than previously suggested.

Dataset Information

Phylogenetic relationships among arecoid palms (Arecaceae: Arecoideae).

Background and aims

Methods

Key results and conclusions

Publications

Phylogenetic relationships among arecoid palms (Arecaceae: Arecoideae).

Similar Datasets

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