Five major shifts of diversification through the long evolutionary history of Magnoliidae (angiosperms).

ABSTRACT:

Background

With 10,000 species, Magnoliidae are the largest clade of flowering plants outside monocots and eudicots. Despite an ancient and rich fossil history, the tempo and mode of diversification of Magnoliidae remain poorly known. Using a molecular data set of 12 markers and 220 species (representing >75% of genera in Magnoliidae) and six robust, internal fossil age constraints, we estimate divergence times and significant shifts of diversification across the clade. In addition, we test the sensitivity of magnoliid divergence times to the choice of relaxed clock model and various maximum age constraints for the angiosperms.

Results

Compared with previous work, our study tends to push back in time the age of the crown node of Magnoliidae (178.78-126.82 million years, Myr)

SUBMITTER: Massoni J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4377182 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature