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Abstract Detail



Systematics Section/ASPT

Tepe, Eric J. [1], Bornstein, Allan J. [2], Carvalho-Silva, Micheline [3], Egydio, Anary P.M. [4], Jaramillo, M. Alejandra [5], Smith, James F. [6].

Creating order out of chaos: a phylogeny of the Radula clade of Piper.

The Radula clade of Piper contains an estimated 450 species, including the pantropical weed Piper aduncum and the suite of species allied with Piper hispidum. This clade is an easily recognized and abundant component of Neotropical humid habitats, but it is also one of the most taxonomically complicated groups of Piper. Radula species are characteristically medium-sized shrubs with leaves that are often scabrous to the touch, and with inflorescences that are usually erect and sometimes curved, with the flowers and bracts tightly arranged along the rachis, forming distinct banding patterns. We present a phylogeny of the Radula clade based on sequences of the nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast non-coding region petA–psbJ. Resolution is poor throughout much of the tree, but the monophyly of Radula overall is strongly supported, as are a number of subclades that are morphologically identifiable. For example, one subclade comprises nearly all of the vines in Radula, one has two of the very few species with pendulous inflorescences, and another subclade contains most of the species with stylose flowers. In contrast, several characters often used to describe species or species complexes, including arching inflorescences and scabrous leaves, are scattered throughout the tree and clearly not monophyletic. Likewise, the widespread and highly variable P. hispidum is, not surprisingly, decidedly polyphyletic. The Isophyllon clade, suggested previously to be part of Radula, is in a polytomy with Radula. Although taxonomic and phylogenetic issues remain, our results provide an improved understanding of the Radula clade of Piper and establish a framework that will facilitate work on smaller, more easily-managed clades within this problematic lineage.


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1 - University Of Cincinnati, Department Of Botany, 614 Rieveschl Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
2 - Southeast Missouri State University, 2Department of Biology, Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701-4799, USA
3 - Universidade de Brasília, 3Departamento de Botânica, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
4 - Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Rua do Matão, 277, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-90, Brazil
5 - Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Calle 13 No. 31–75, Bogota, Colombia
6 - Boise State University, Biology Department, 1910 University Drive, MS1515, Boise, ID, 83725-1515, USA

Keywords:
Piper 
Piperaceae
Phylogeny
ITS
petA-psbJ.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 33
Location: Salon 10/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: 33012
Abstract ID:906
Candidate for Awards:None


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