Divergence and Selection in a Cryptic Species Complex (Geonoma undata: Arecaceae) in the Northern Andes of Colombia.

ABSTRACT: Palms (family Arecaceae) are integral to understanding the evolution of tropical rainforests due to their long evolutionary history, high species richness, and hyper dominance in these ecosystems. Some palm genera, like Geonoma, are regionally and locally species-rich and abundant in Neotropical rainforests, but factors contributing to their divergence and ultimately their diversification remain poorly explored. A recent phylogenomic study identified the Geonoma undata complex, with high levels of genetic distinctiveness of different geographically proximal groups, describing it as a hyper-cryptic radiation. Here, we seek to disentangle the factors that contribute to genetic divergence in the G. undata cryptic species complex in the Northern Colombian Andes, where various forms ascribable

SUBMITTER: Webster CP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12279445 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature