Diversification, biogeographic pattern, and demographic history of Taiwanese Scutellaria species inferred from nuclear and chloroplast DNA.

ABSTRACT: The ragged topography created by orogenesis generates diversified habitats for plants in Taiwan. In addition to colonization from nearby mainland China, high species diversity and endemism of plants is also present in Taiwan. Five of the seven Scutellaria species (Lamiaceae) in Taiwan, for example, are endemic to the island. Hypotheses of multiple sources or in situ radiation have arisen to explain the high endemism of Taiwanese species. In this study, phylogenetic analyses using both nuclear and chloroplast markers revealed the multiple sources of Taiwanese Scutellaria species and confirmed the rapid and recent speciation of endemic species, especially those of the "indica group" composed of S. indica, S. austrotaiwanensis, S. tashiroi, and S. playfairii. The common ancestors of the indic

SUBMITTER: Chiang YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3511331 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature