| Abstract Detail
Lightning Talks – Germinating Ideas Bryant, Jacob [1], Tepe, Eric J. [1]. Morphometric analysis of the Solanum appendiculatum species complex (Solanum sect. Anarrhichomenum). The potato clade, consisting of ca. 200 species, is the most economically important lineage of the giant genus Solanum. While crop species, potatoes, and tomatoes for example, have been subject to intense research, other lineages in the clade remain poorly understood. Section Anarrhichomenum, a subclade of viny, node-rooting potato relatives of ca. 15 species is one such group in need of greater attention. The S. appendiculatum species complex (also including S. ionidium, S. skutchii, S. subvelutinum, and S. tacanense) is of particular interest since it is taxonomically complex, contains a cryptically dioecious species, and likely includes at least one undescribed species. To better understand the complex, 110 herbarium specimens were examined and measured for 45 variables, both discrete and continuous, representing all taxa within the species complex. These data were then explored using PCA to determine how taxa segregate and to better understand what morphological characters best explain each separation. Preliminary PCA plots uncovered two morphogroups surrounding simple and compound leaved species, segregated along the x-axis primarily by overall leaf shape and by lateral leaflet dimensions along the y-axis. The analysis failed to separate the four traditionally-recognized species with compound leaves (S. appendiculatum, S. skutchii, S. subvelutinum, and S. tacanense), thus it is unclear whether morphogroups are truly divided by evolutionarily informative characters or random variation among specimens, limited sample size or local-adaption. These results will be followed up by incorporating other morphological information (e.g. pollen & seed anticlinal wall sculpturing) paired with phylogenetic analysis of molecular data to paint a more comprehensive narrative surrounding morphological divisions and evolutionary relationships within and between taxa of the group.
1 - University of Cincinnati, Biological Sciences, PO Box 210006, Cincinnati, OH, 45221-0006, USA
Keywords:
Solanum.
Presentation Type: Germinating Ideas Lightning Talk
Number: LT2018
Abstract ID:854
Candidate for Awards:None |
