New Biogeographic insight into Bauhinia s.l. (Leguminosae): integration from fossil records and molecular analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Given that most species that have ever existed on earth are extinct, it stands to reason that the evolutionary history can be better understood with fossil taxa. Bauhinia is a typical genus of pantropical intercontinental disjunction among the Asian, African, and American continents. Geographic distribution patterns are better recognized when fossil records and molecular sequences are combined in the analyses. Here, we describe a new macrofossil species of Bauhinia from the Upper Miocene Xiaolongtan Formation in Wenshan County, Southeast Yunnan, China, and elucidate the biogeographic significance through the analyses of molecules and fossils.

Results

Morphometric analysis demonstrates that the leaf shapes of B. acuminata, B. championii, B. chalcophylla, B. purpure

SUBMITTER: Meng HH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4360257 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature