| Abstract Detail
Systematics Boissavy, Charles [1], Flores Olvera, Hilda [2], Ochoterena, Helga [3], Douglas, Norman [4], Moore, Michael [5]. Emergence of gypsophily in Phacelia (Hydrophyllaceae). The genus Phacelia, (Hydrophyllaceae) sometimes known as scorpion weeds, consists of about 150 species that inhabit North and South America, with a center of diversity in the western United States and Northern Mexico. Of the 54 species within sect. Glandulosae, 12 are known to live on gypsum (CaSO4 ·H2O) substrates and have varying lifestyle habits: some annual, some biennial, and some perennial. Within Phacelia sect. Glandulosae, 5 species and 1 variety are gypsovags, meaning that they live on and off gypsum, while 6 species and 1 variety are gypsophiles —i.e., they are restricted to gypsum substrates. Gypsum is an unusual and less hospitable substrate for plants because of its resistance to root penetration, lack of organic matter, low cation exchange capacity, and high concentration of sulfur and calcium. Whether the species in sect. Glandulosae represent one or more origins of gypsophily is unclear. To address this question, we estimated a phylogeny using the nuclear ITS region. Field-collected samples of 4 species and 1 variety of gypsum endemic Phacelia as well as 3 species and 1 variety of gypsovag Phacelia from Nuevo León, Coahuila, Durango, Chihuahua, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma were included, amounting to 48 individuals, some of which consist of multiple individuals in a population. Outgroup sequences for other Phacelia species were obtained from GenBank.
1 - Oberlin College , Department of Biology, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
2 - Instituto De Biología, UNAM, Departamento de Botanica, Apdo.Postal 70-367, Coyoacan, Mexico, DF, 04510, Mexico
3 - Instituto De Biología, UNAM, Botanica, Depto Botánica-Apdo.Postal 70-367, Coyoacan, Mexico DF, 04510, Mexico
4 - University Of Florida, Biology, PO Box 118525, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
5 - Oberlin College, Department Of Biology, 119 Woodland St., Science Center K111, Oberlin, OH, 44074, United States
Keywords:
Phacelia
Hydrophyllaceae
Boraginales
phylogeny
gypsum
systematics.
Presentation Type: Poster
Number: PSY002
Abstract ID:139
Candidate for Awards:None |
