Diversification of myco-heterotrophic angiosperms: evidence from Burmanniaceae.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Myco-heterotrophy evolved independently several times during angiosperm evolution. Although many species of myco-heterotrophic plants are highly endemic and long-distance dispersal seems unlikely, some genera are widely dispersed and have pantropical distributions, often with large disjunctions. Traditionally this has been interpreted as evidence for an old age of these taxa. However, due to their scarcity and highly reduced plastid genomes our understanding about the evolutionary histories of the angiosperm myco-heterotrophic groups is poor.

Results

We provide a hypothesis for the diversification of the myco-heterotrophic family Burmanniaceae. Phylogenetic inference, combined with biogeographical analyses, molecular divergence time estimates, and diversification

SUBMITTER: Merckx V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2492876 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature