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Rolleri, Cristina Hilda - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Polen de Zingiberales de humedales rioplatenses y selvas subtropicales del NE de la Argentina
Ediciones Complutense, 2016Co-Authors: Pasarelli, Lilian Mónica, Dedominici, Ana Clara, Rolleri, Cristina HildaAbstract:A study of the morphology of the pollen of native, naturalized, and cultivated representatives of Zingiberales growing in the Río de La Plata wetlands, and Northeastern subtropical rainforests of the Argentina, was performed with light and electron microscopy. The analyzed species were C. glauca and C. indica (Cannaceae), Heliconia psittacorum, H. brasiliensis and H. rostrata (Heliconiaceae), Thalia geniculata and Maranta leuconeura (Marantaceae), Musa acuminata × balbisiana y M. × paradisiaca (Musaceae), Strelitzia nicolai and S. reginae (Strelitziaceae), Alpinia zerumbet, Hedychium coronarium and H. gardnerianum (Zingiberaceae). Spheroid, oblate, apolar and heteropolar, inaperturate grains were found, with thin exines, and thicker, two-layered intines. The ornamentation types were echinate, typical and micro-echinate, found in Cannaceae, Heliconiaceae, and some Zingiberaceae, muriforme types (rugate, rugulate, and areolate), and smooth or psilate exine surface ornamentations, present in Musaceae, Strelitziaceae and Zingiberaceae. Thalia geniculata smooth grains, Musaceae rugate grains, and Strelitziaceae areolate grains are described here by the first time. Other traits were analyzed, such as the presence of elastine threads and pollenkitt. All these characters contribute to an update of the knowledge of these selected taxa, scarcely known from a palynological point of view.Se presenta un estudio, efectuado con microscopía de luz y electrónica de barrido, de la morfología del polen de representantes nativos, naturalizados y cultivados de Zingiberales, que crecen en humedales rioplatenses y selvas subtropicales del NE de la Argentina. Las especies analizadas son Canna glauca y C. índica (Cannaceae), Heliconia psittacorum, H. brasiliensis y H. rostrata (Heliconiaceae), Thalia geniculata y Maranta leuconeura (Marantaceae), Musa acuminata × balbisiana y M. × paradisiaca (Musaceae), Strelitzia nicolai y S. reginae (Strelitziaceae), Alpinia zerumbet, Hedychium coronarium y H. gardnerianum (Zingiberaceae). Se encontraron granos esferoidales, oblados, apolares y heteropolares, inaberturados, con exinas delgadas e intinas gruesas con dos capas. Los tipos de ornamentación hallados son: equinados, típicos o micro-equinados, de Cannaceae, Heliconiaceae y algunas Zingiberaceae, muriformes, típicos o micro-muriformes (rugados, rugulados, areolados) y lisos, presentes en Musaceae, Strelitziaceae y Zingiberaceae. El polen de Thalia geniculata, los granos rugados de Musaceae y los areolados de Strelitziaceae se describen por primera vez, y se analizan rasgos, como las hebras de elastina y el polenkit, que aportan caracteres actualizados para el conocimiento de los taxones seleccionados, poco difundidos desde el punto de vista palinológico
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Polen de zingiberales de humedales rioplatenses y selvas subtropicales del NE de la Argentina
2016Co-Authors: Passarelli, Lilian Mónica, Dedominici, Ana Clara, Rolleri, Cristina HildaAbstract:Se presenta un estudio, efectuado con microscopía de luz y electrónica de barrido, de la morfología del polen de representantes nativos, naturalizados y cultivados de Zingiberales, que crecen en humedales rioplatenses y selvas subtropicales del NE de la Argentina. Las especies analizadas son Canna glauca y C. índica (Cannaceae), Heliconia psittacorum, H. brasiliensis y H. rostrata (Heliconiaceae), Thalia geniculata y Maranta leuconeura (Marantaceae), Musa acuminata × balbisiana y M. × paradisiaca (Musaceae), Strelitzia nicolai y S. reginae (Strelitziaceae), Alpinia zerumbet, Hedychium coronarium y H. gardnerianum (Zingiberaceae). Se encontraron granos esferoidales, oblados, apolares y heteropolares, inaberturados, con exinas delgadas e intinas gruesas con dos capas. Los tipos de ornamentación hallados son: equinados, típicos o micro-equinados, de Cannaceae, Heliconiaceae y algunas Zingiberaceae, muriformes, típicos o micro-muriformes (rugados, rugulados, areolados) y lisos, presentes en Musaceae, Strelitziaceae y Zingiberaceae. El polen de Thalia geniculata, los granos rugados de Musaceae y los areolados de Strelitziaceae se describen por primera vez, y se analizan rasgos, como las hebras de elastina y el polenkit, que aportan caracteres actualizados para el conocimiento de los taxones seleccionados, poco difundidos desde el punto de vista palinológico.A study of the morphology of the pollen of native, naturalized, and cultivated representatives of Zingiberales growing in the Río de La Plata wetlands, and Northeastern subtropical rainforests of the Argentina, was performed with light and electron microscopy. The analyzed species were C. glauca and C. indica (Cannaceae), Heliconia psittacorum, H. brasiliensis and H. rostrata (Heliconiaceae), Thalia geniculata and Maranta leuconeura (Marantaceae), Musa acuminata × balbisiana y M. × paradisiaca (Musaceae), Strelitzia nicolai and S. reginae (Strelitziaceae), Alpinia zerumbet, Hedychium coronarium and H. gardnerianum (Zingiberaceae). Spheroid, oblate, apolar and heteropolar, inaperturate grains were found, with thin exines, and thicker, two-layered intines. The ornamentation types were echinate, typical and micro-echinate, found in Cannaceae, Heliconiaceae, and some Zingiberaceae, muriforme types (rugate, rugulate, and areolate), and smooth or psilate exine surface ornamentations, present in Musaceae, Strelitziaceae and Zingiberaceae. Thalia geniculata smooth grains, Musaceae rugate grains, and Strelitziaceae areolate grains are described here by the first time. Other traits were analyzed, such as the presence of elastine threads and pollenkitt. All these characters contribute to an update of the knowledge of these selected taxa, scarcely known from a palynological point of view.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse
Chelsea D. Specht - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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transcriptome analyses provide insights into development of the zingiber zerumbet flower revealing potential genes related to floral organ formation and patterning
Plant Growth Regulation, 2020Co-Authors: Tong Zhao, Chelsea D. Specht, Zhicheng Dong, Huanfang Liu, Jingping LiaoAbstract:The flower of Zingiber zerumbet is characterized by a distinctive labellum, a highly modified floral organ believed to be formed by the fusion of several infertile members of the androecial whorl (staminodes). Across the Zingiberaceae, the number of staminodes involved in labellum formation varies from two to four, and these are reflected in the number of lobes that comprise the mature labellum. Research on the flower development in Zingiberaceae has been limited to species with either no labellum lobes or species displaying a bilobed labellum. Zingiber zerumbet is a representative of the genus with a three-lobed labellum, and its flower development remains poorly understood at both morphological and molecular levels. This study aims to give a comprehensive description of its flower development and to identify potential genes related to flower development using morphological and genetic characterization. Our results show that floral organ initiation is sequential with the sepal whorl initiating first, followed by petal and inner androecium together, followed by outer androecium, and finally the initiation of the inferior gynoecium. The three-lobed labellum comprises four androecial members: Two abaxial inner androecial members fuse to form the single central lobe, and two adaxial outer androecial members individually form the two lateral lobes of the labellum. Two developmental stages (floral primordium and organ-differentiated flowers) were selected for transcriptome sequencing. Two-thousand and seventy-five transcription factors were identified. Seven boundary genes and seven organ-specific genes were also discovered. Our study provides fundamental information for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of flower development and evolution across the Zingiberaceae.
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building the monocot tree of death progress and challenges emerging from the macrofossil rich zingiberales
American Journal of Botany, 2018Co-Authors: Selena Y. Smith, John C. Benedict, William J. D. Iles, Chelsea D. SpechtAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY Inclusion of fossils in phylogenetic analyses is necessary in order to construct a comprehensive "tree of death" and elucidate evolutionary history of taxa; however, such incorporation of fossils in phylogenetic reconstruction is dependent on the availability and interpretation of extensive morphological data. Here, the Zingiberales, whose familial relationships have been difficult to resolve with high support, are used as a case study to illustrate the importance of including fossil taxa in systematic studies. METHODS Eight fossil taxa and 43 extant Zingiberales were coded for 39 morphological seed characters, and these data were concatenated with previously published molecular sequence data for analysis in the program MrBayes. KEY RESULTS Ensete oregonense is confirmed to be part of Musaceae, and the other seven fossils group with Zingiberaceae. There is strong support for Spirematospermum friedrichii, Spirematospermum sp. 'Goth', S. wetzleri, and Striatornata sanantoniensis in crown Zingiberaceae while "Musa" cardiosperma, Spirematospermum chandlerae, and Tricostatocarpon silvapinedae are best considered stem Zingiberaceae. Inclusion of fossils explains how different topologies from morphological and molecular data sets is due to shared plesiomorphic characters shared by Musaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Costaceae, and most of the fossils. CONCLUSIONS Inclusion of eight fossil taxa expands the Zingiberales tree and helps explain the difficulty in resolving relationships. Inclusion of fossils was possible in part due to a large morphological data set built using nondestructive microcomputed tomography data. Collaboration between paleo- and neobotanists and technology such as microcomputed tomography will help to build the tree of death and ultimately improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of monocots.
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Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order.
AoB PLANTS, 2016Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Jana Leong-Škorničková, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Federica MaroneAbstract:Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales.
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seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae
American Journal of Botany, 2015Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Federica Marone, Jana Leongskornickova, Xianghui Xiao, Dilworth Y. ParkinsonAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. METHODS: Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. KEY RESULTS: Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed character was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. CONCLUSIONS: SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiatedmore » using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family.« less
John C. Benedict - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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building the monocot tree of death progress and challenges emerging from the macrofossil rich zingiberales
American Journal of Botany, 2018Co-Authors: Selena Y. Smith, John C. Benedict, William J. D. Iles, Chelsea D. SpechtAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY Inclusion of fossils in phylogenetic analyses is necessary in order to construct a comprehensive "tree of death" and elucidate evolutionary history of taxa; however, such incorporation of fossils in phylogenetic reconstruction is dependent on the availability and interpretation of extensive morphological data. Here, the Zingiberales, whose familial relationships have been difficult to resolve with high support, are used as a case study to illustrate the importance of including fossil taxa in systematic studies. METHODS Eight fossil taxa and 43 extant Zingiberales were coded for 39 morphological seed characters, and these data were concatenated with previously published molecular sequence data for analysis in the program MrBayes. KEY RESULTS Ensete oregonense is confirmed to be part of Musaceae, and the other seven fossils group with Zingiberaceae. There is strong support for Spirematospermum friedrichii, Spirematospermum sp. 'Goth', S. wetzleri, and Striatornata sanantoniensis in crown Zingiberaceae while "Musa" cardiosperma, Spirematospermum chandlerae, and Tricostatocarpon silvapinedae are best considered stem Zingiberaceae. Inclusion of fossils explains how different topologies from morphological and molecular data sets is due to shared plesiomorphic characters shared by Musaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Costaceae, and most of the fossils. CONCLUSIONS Inclusion of eight fossil taxa expands the Zingiberales tree and helps explain the difficulty in resolving relationships. Inclusion of fossils was possible in part due to a large morphological data set built using nondestructive microcomputed tomography data. Collaboration between paleo- and neobotanists and technology such as microcomputed tomography will help to build the tree of death and ultimately improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of monocots.
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Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order.
AoB PLANTS, 2016Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Jana Leong-Škorničková, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Federica MaroneAbstract:Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales.
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seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae
American Journal of Botany, 2015Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Federica Marone, Jana Leongskornickova, Xianghui Xiao, Dilworth Y. ParkinsonAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. METHODS: Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. KEY RESULTS: Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed character was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. CONCLUSIONS: SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiatedmore » using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family.« less
Selena Y. Smith - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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building the monocot tree of death progress and challenges emerging from the macrofossil rich zingiberales
American Journal of Botany, 2018Co-Authors: Selena Y. Smith, John C. Benedict, William J. D. Iles, Chelsea D. SpechtAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY Inclusion of fossils in phylogenetic analyses is necessary in order to construct a comprehensive "tree of death" and elucidate evolutionary history of taxa; however, such incorporation of fossils in phylogenetic reconstruction is dependent on the availability and interpretation of extensive morphological data. Here, the Zingiberales, whose familial relationships have been difficult to resolve with high support, are used as a case study to illustrate the importance of including fossil taxa in systematic studies. METHODS Eight fossil taxa and 43 extant Zingiberales were coded for 39 morphological seed characters, and these data were concatenated with previously published molecular sequence data for analysis in the program MrBayes. KEY RESULTS Ensete oregonense is confirmed to be part of Musaceae, and the other seven fossils group with Zingiberaceae. There is strong support for Spirematospermum friedrichii, Spirematospermum sp. 'Goth', S. wetzleri, and Striatornata sanantoniensis in crown Zingiberaceae while "Musa" cardiosperma, Spirematospermum chandlerae, and Tricostatocarpon silvapinedae are best considered stem Zingiberaceae. Inclusion of fossils explains how different topologies from morphological and molecular data sets is due to shared plesiomorphic characters shared by Musaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Costaceae, and most of the fossils. CONCLUSIONS Inclusion of eight fossil taxa expands the Zingiberales tree and helps explain the difficulty in resolving relationships. Inclusion of fossils was possible in part due to a large morphological data set built using nondestructive microcomputed tomography data. Collaboration between paleo- and neobotanists and technology such as microcomputed tomography will help to build the tree of death and ultimately improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of monocots.
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Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order.
AoB PLANTS, 2016Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Jana Leong-Škorničková, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Federica MaroneAbstract:Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales.
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seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae
American Journal of Botany, 2015Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Federica Marone, Jana Leongskornickova, Xianghui Xiao, Dilworth Y. ParkinsonAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. METHODS: Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. KEY RESULTS: Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed character was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. CONCLUSIONS: SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiatedmore » using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family.« less
Dilworth Y. Parkinson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order.
AoB PLANTS, 2016Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Jana Leong-Škorničková, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Federica MaroneAbstract:Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales.
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seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae
American Journal of Botany, 2015Co-Authors: John C. Benedict, Chelsea D. Specht, Selena Y. Smith, Margaret E. Collinson, Federica Marone, Jana Leongskornickova, Xianghui Xiao, Dilworth Y. ParkinsonAbstract:PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. METHODS: Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. KEY RESULTS: Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed character was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. CONCLUSIONS: SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiatedmore » using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family.« less
