Fig 3 - uploaded by Sara B. Hoot
Content may be subject to copyright.
One of the most parsimonious trees for the Proteoideae and Grevilleoideae based on total evidence with tv/ts character state weighting of 1 : 1 or 3 : 1. The same four trees were derived for the Proteoideae using unweighted and weighted data (A). Acronyms for tribal names: C = Conospermeae, F = Franklandieae, P = Proteeae. Grevilleoid tree presented is derived from weighted data (B). Acronyms for tribal names: B = Banksieae, E = Embothrieae, K = Knightieae, G = Grevilleeae, H = Helicieae, M = Macadamieae, O = Oriteae. Numbers above the lines indicate the number of nucleotide changes supporting each branch. Numbers below the branches are the percentage of times that the branch was recovered in 500 bootstrap replications. Dotted lines indicate branches which collapse in strict consensus tree derived from multiple shortest trees.
Source publication
Parsimony analyses were conducted for 46 genera representing all subfamilies
and tribes within Proteaceae using two chloroplast sequences: the gene
atpB and the noncoding spacer region between
atpB and rbcL. The spacer region
was more variable than atpB and provided insertion and
deletion data as well as nucleotide substitutions. The
atpB and space...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... in identical positions to that found in the unweighted tree (Fig. 2). The Proteoideae are resolved with the same topology as shown in the unweighted tree. The Grevilleoideae (including Carnarvonia and Sphalmium) are slightly more resolved and have the same topology as found in the weighted analysis of the Grevilleoideae described below (Fig. ...
Context 2
... through Protea; bootstrap = 85%; Fig. 2), these taxa were analysed separately using Agastachys and Symphionema as outgroups. We chose not to analyse Proteoideae including Agastachys and Symphionema because of the weak support for Proteoideae s.l. (bootstrap = 65%, Fig. 2). The unweighted and weighted analyses resulted in four identical trees (Fig. 3A). The topology within this subfamily is identical to that found in the analyses based on complete sampling (Fig. 2) except for an additional trichotomy between Beauprea, Aulax-Petrophile, and Isopogon-Adenanthos-Leucadendron-Protea. None of the tribes of Proteoideae (sensu Johnson and Briggs 1975; Table 1) are monophyletic in these ...
Context 3
... (Fig. 3A). The topology within this subfamily is identical to that found in the analyses based on complete sampling (Fig. 2) except for an additional trichotomy between Beauprea, Aulax-Petrophile, and Isopogon-Adenanthos-Leucadendron-Protea. None of the tribes of Proteoideae (sensu Johnson and Briggs 1975; Table 1) are monophyletic in these trees (Fig. ...
Context 4
... The unweighted and weighted analyses resulted in 30 and 6 shortest trees respectively. The topology of the strict consensus trees resulting from the unweighted and weighted analyses of Grevilleoideae s.l. are identical to that found in the unweighted and weighted analyses with complete sampling (see Fig. 2 for unweighted grevilleoid topology; Fig. 3B for weighted topology). Only two tribes (Oriteae and Bankseae) within Grevilleoideae s.l. are recognised as monophyletic by these analyses (Fig. ...
Context 5
... the unweighted and weighted analyses of Grevilleoideae s.l. are identical to that found in the unweighted and weighted analyses with complete sampling (see Fig. 2 for unweighted grevilleoid topology; Fig. 3B for weighted topology). Only two tribes (Oriteae and Bankseae) within Grevilleoideae s.l. are recognised as monophyletic by these analyses (Fig. ...
Context 6
... data are very similar in topology. In terms of tree resolution and support (collapsing all branches with < 70% bootstrap values), the trees resulting from weighted analyses demonstrate no improvement over unweighted trees. Similarly, varying the sampling by re-analysing separately the two major subfamilies, Proteoideae and Grevilleoideae, (Fig. 3) resulted in very similar topologies to the analysis with complete sampling (Fig. ...
Context 7
... position of Eidothea in a trichotomy with two larger clades of Proteoideae genera (including Conospermeae) is interesting (Fig. 3A). There are two characters that it has in common with some members of Conospermeae (sensu Johnson and Briggs 1975): a geniculiform incurvature of the distal part of the stamen filament just proximal to and at the site of anther attachment (present in Cenarrhenes, Conospermum, Synaphea, and Stirlingia) and a group of elongate tricellular ...
Context 8
... trees resulting from the re-analysis of the two large subfamilies, Proteoideae and Grevilleoideae, indicate that most tribes within these two subfamilies are not monophyletic (Fig. 3). Within Proteoideae, no tribe is monophyletic. Within Grevilleoideae, only Oriteae and Banksieae are monophyletic (since only one genus within the tribe Grevilleeae was examined, the monophyly of this tribe was not tested). Future work within the family must include a re-evaluation of taxonomic delimitations and ...
Context 9
... tribe Proteeae is not monophyletic in the trees resulting from the combined data; it adds at least 10 additional steps to make the Proteeae monophyletic (Figs 2 and 3A). Subtribe Aulacinae within the Proteeae is comprised of two genera, Aulax and Leucadendron, that were originally placed together based on several similarities, including the fact that they are both dioecious (Brown 1810;Johnson and Briggs 1975). ...
Context 10
... Grevilleoideae are characterised by weak support and many short branches in trees resulting from our combined data, there are a few novel groupings that are well supported. First, three genera representing two different tribes ( Cardwellia, Euplassa-Gevuina) are well supported as a monophyletic group (bootstrap = 100%, Fig. 3B). Cardwellia were originally a monotypic subtribe placed within Knightieae; Euplassa-Gevuina were placed within the subtribe Gevuininae of the large tribe Macadamieae (Johnson and Briggs 1975). There are several unique morphological features supporting our hypothesised relationship, including multipapillate hairs in ascending rows ...
Context 11
... (sensu Johnson and Briggs 1975) do not appear monophyletic in this analysis (Fig. 3B). Forcing monophyly among the members of the tribe sampled adds 13 steps (shortest tree length = 1113). Among the four subtribes within Embothrieae (Stenocarpinae, Buckinghamiinae, Lomatiinae, and Embothriinae), Buckinghamiinae are most closely related to the tribe Grevilleeae (bootstrap = 99, 100%; Figs 2, 3B). Several floral features, ...
Similar publications
A phylogenetic analysis of Acacia subg. Phyllodineae sect. Botrycephalae, endemic to eastern Australia, is presented based on a combined dataset of ITS and ETS sequences of nrDNA. A smaller set of species was sequenced also for the cpDNA trnK region. A limited number of morphological characters was also combined with the ITS+ETS dataset for most ta...
This expanded survey of ITS sequences represents the largest analysis of
molecular data ever attempted on Eucalyptus. Sequences
of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA
were included in an analysis of 90 species of
Eucalyptus s.s. and 28 species representing eight other
genera (Allosyncarpia, Angophora,
Arillastr...
A revision of the species complexes of
‘Ficus platypoda’ and
‘Ficus leucotricha’ (Moraceae:
Urostigma sect. Malvanthera
Corner) is presented. A phenetic analysis of morphometric characters using
clustering techniques and multidimensional scaling was used to identify the
taxa in each species complex. Two species from each complex are recognised and...
A revision of the
Ficus obliqua—F. rubiginosa
complex (Moraceae: Urostigma sect.
Malvanthera Corner) is presented. A phenetic analysis of
morphometric characters using clustering techniques and multidimensional
scaling was used to identify the taxa in this complex. Three taxa are
recognised, F. obliqua G.Forst.,
F. rubiginosa Desf. ex Vent. f.
rubi...
The genus Lithophyllum (Lithophylloideae, Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) is represented by six species in south-eastern Australia L. chamberlainianum Woelkerling - Campbell, L. corallinae (Crouan - Crouan) Heydrich, L. cuneatum Keats, L. pustulatum (Lamouroux) Foslie, L. riosmenae, sp. nov., and L. stictaeforme (Areschoug in Agardh) Hauck. Four of thes...
Citations
... (Detmann et al. 2019). The latter species from South America has almost identical DNA sequences as the Australian genus Floydia, suggesting a very close relationship (Hoot and Douglas 1998). It would thus be worthwhile to check Floydia for possible mycorrhizal symbiosis. ...
Background
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis has been referred to as the mother of all plant root symbioses as it predated the evolution of plant roots. The AM research is a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of soil science, mycology, and botany. However, in recent decades the nature and properties of soils, in which the AM symbiosis develops and functions, have received less attention than desired.
Scope
In this review we discuss a number of recent developments in AM research. We particularly cover the role of AM symbiosis in acquisition of phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals and metalloids, as well as water by plants from soil; mycorrhizal effects on plant nutritional stoichiometry and on the carbon cycle; the hyphosphere microbiome; so-called facultative mycorrhizal plants; explanations for lack of mycorrhizal benefit; common mycorrhizal networks; and arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal ecosystems.
Conclusion
We reflect on what has previously been described as mycorrhizal ‘dogmas’. We conclude that these are in fact generalisations on the AM symbiosis that are well supported by multiple studies, while admitting that there potentially is a geographical bias in mycorrhizal research that developed in temperate and boreal regions, and that research in other ecosystems might uncover a greater diversity of viable mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal strategies than currently acknowledged. We also note an increasing tendency to overinterpret data, which may lead to stagnation of some research fields due to lack of experiments designed to test the mechanistic basis of processes rather than cumulating descriptive studies and correlative evidences.
... Respecto a la investigación en filogenia, se han realizado algunos estudios moleculares sobre la clasificación filogenética de una parte considerable de géneros de la familia Proteaceae, haciendo uso de la secuenciación de ADN por medio de métodos filogenéticos algorítmicos, los estudios más destacados son los realizados por Barker et al., (2002), Hoot & Douglas (1998), Mast et al. (2008), y una clasificación supragenérica a través de una Matriz de Representación y Parsimonia (MRP), que compara los resultados obtenidos en estudios anteriores, propone la conformación de una nueva subfamilia, Symphionematoideae, dos nuevas tribus Petrophilae y Leucadendrae, y cuatro nuevas subtribus: Leucadendrae subtribu Isopogoniae, Leucadendrae subtribu Leucadendrinae, Macadamieae subtribu Malagasiinae y Macadamieae subtribu Virotiinae (Weston & Barker, 2006), hay que destacar, que esta investigación incluyó al género Panopsis dentro del súper árbol filogenético, el cual se observa dentro de la Subtribu Macadamiinae con los géneros Brabejum y Macadamia conformando un sólido grupo monofilético, y otros géneros como: Carnarvonia, Catalepidia, Malagasia, Virotia, Athetonia, Heliciopsis, Cardwellia, Sleumerodendron, Euplassa, Kermadecia, Turrillia, Bleasdalea, Gevuina y Hicksbeachia, conformando otras tres subtribus, las cuatro subtribus se reportan conformando la Tribu Macadamiae (Weston & Barker, 2006). ...
... Giving priority to a motif can result in insertions that are correctly aligned as non-homologous (i.e. with different positional extensions) although sequence similarity would warrant their inaccurate placement under the same column [24]. Individual positions in homo-nucleotide strings of different lengths (poly-As or -Ts) are considered to be of uncertain homology [25] and are therefore excluded. Slipped strand mispairing [26] is likely to have led to numerous length mutational events involving one to several nucleotides. ...
Background
The Nymphaeales (waterlilly and relatives) lineage has diverged as the second branch of basal angiosperms and comprises of two families: Cabombaceae and Nymphaceae. The classification of Nymphaeales and phylogeny within the flowering plants are quite intriguing as several systems (Thorne system, Dahlgren system, Cronquist system, Takhtajan system and APG III system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III system) have attempted to redefine the Nymphaeales taxonomy. There have been also fossil records consisting especially of seeds, pollen, stems, leaves and flowers as early as the lower Cretaceous. Here we present an in silico study of the order Nymphaeales taking maturaseK (matK) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) as biomarkers for phylogeny reconstruction (using character-based methods and Bayesian approach) and identification of motifs for DNA barcoding.
Results
The Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian approach yielded congruent fully resolved and well-supported trees using a concatenated (ITS2+ matK) supermatrix aligned dataset. The taxon sampling corroborates the monophyly of Cabombaceae. Nuphar emerges as a monophyletic clade in the family Nymphaeaceae while there are slight discrepancies in the monophyletic nature of the genera Nymphaea owing to Victoria-Euryale and Ondinea grouping in the same node of Nymphaeaceae. ITS2 secondary structures alignment corroborate the primary sequence analysis. Hydatellaceae emerged as a sister clade to Nymphaeaceae and had a basal lineage amongst the water lilly clades. Species from Cycas and Ginkgo were taken as outgroups and were rooted in the overall tree topology from various methods.
Conclusions
MatK genes are fast evolving highly variant regions of plant chloroplast DNA that can serve as potential biomarkers for DNA barcoding and also in generating primers for angiosperms with identification of unique motif regions. We have reported unique genus specific motif regions in the Order Nymphaeles from matK dataset which can be further validated for barcoding and designing of PCR primers. Our analysis using a novel approach of sequence-structure alignment and phylogenetic reconstruction using molecular morphometrics congrue with the current placement of Hydatellaceae within the early-divergent angiosperm order Nymphaeales. The results underscore the fact that more diverse genera, if not fully resolved to be monophyletic, should be represented by all major lineages.
... Alignment of DNA sequences was accomplished to a rough approximation using Sequencher 3.0 (Gene Codes Corp., Ann Arbor, Michigan) with subsequent manual corrections. Alignment procedures were as described in Hoot and Douglas (1998), paying careful attention to repeated motifs (Type Ib indels) and runs of the same nucleotide (Type Ia indels). Insertions/deletions (indels) were scored as binary characters using MacClade (Maddison and Maddison 2005), following the conservative simple gap coding method (Simmons and Ochoterena 2000). ...
Previous phylogenies based on molecular data indicated that segregate genera from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (Hepática, Pulsatilla, Knowltonia, Oreithales, and Barneoudia) are embedded within Anemone and should be subsumed within the genus. Based on a new phylogeny that substantially increases the sampling of the austral anemones (especially from Africa), we present a formal reclassification of Anemone s. 1. We analyzed combined sequence data (chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer and nuclear ITS regions) for 55 species of Anemone s. L, using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony. The segregate genera, Oreithales and Barneoudia, nest within Anemone and are included in a well supported clade (subgenus Anemone, section Pulsatilloides) consisting largely of Southern Hemisphere species. The Mexican A. mexicana is sister to all remaining members of section Pulsatilloides, which consists of two clades: a poorly supported South American and Tasmanian clade (A. sellowii, A. hellebor ifolia, A. rigida, Barneoudia and Oreithales species, and A. crassifolia) a highly supported southern African clade including nine species of Knowltonia and eight species of Anemone. Anemone antucensis (Chile, Argentina) falls in a separate clade (subgenus and section Anemonidium) that is sister to A. tenuicaulis (New Zealand). Anemone thomsonii (eastern Africa) and A. somaliensis (Somalia) are in a clade (subgenus and section Anemone) composed largely of Northern Hemisphere species. Anemone somaliensis is further associated with other Mediterranean tuberous anemones in subsection and series Anemone (A. coronaria, A. hortensis, and A. pavonina). The topology of both sections Pulsatilloides and Anemonidium suggest that anemones originated in the Northern Hemisphere and subsequently spread to the Southern Hemisphere, a pattern that is shared with other members of Ranunculaceae. We present a formal reclassification of Anemone s. 1., including the following new combinations and taxa of Anemone subgenus Anemone: subsections Alchetnillifoliae, Anetnonanthea, Barneoudia, Crassifoliae, Helleborifoliae, Kilimansharicae, Mexicanae, Oreithales, Rigidae, and Sellowii; series Carolinianae of subsection Anemone; plus the new combination Anemone balliana (= Barneoudia balliana).
... The substitutions identified in this study were confirmed by separating forward and reverse sequencing reactions. Our sequences showed a nucleotide composition and a transition/transversion rate similar to those observed for angiosperms in the intergenic regions trnL-F (Bakker et al. 2000) and atpB-rbcL (Manen and Natali 1995; Morton and Clegg 1995; Hoot and Douglas 1998). Sequence divergence was low in the Coffea subgenus Coffea (B2.4%), as shown in previous studies of the trnL-F region (Cros et al. 1998), other plastid regions (trnL-F intron, rpl16 intron and accD-psa1) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1/5Á8S/ITS 2) of nuclear rDNA (Maurin et al. 2007). ...
Phylogeographic analysis of the Coffea subgenus Coffea was performed using data on plastid DNA sequences and interpreted in relation to biogeographic data on African rain forest
flora. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of trnL-F, trnT-L and atpB-rbcL intergenic spacers from 24 African species revealed two main clades in the Coffea subgenus Coffea whose distribution overlaps in west equatorial Africa. Comparison of trnL-F sequences obtained from GenBank for 45 Coffea species from Cameroon, Madagascar, Grande Comore and the Mascarenes revealed low divergence between African and Madagascan
species, suggesting a rapid and radial mode of speciation. A chronological history of the dispersal of the Coffea subgenus Coffea from its centre of origin in Lower Guinea is proposed. No relation was found between phylogenetic topology and the age of
emergence of the volcanic islands that Coffea species have colonised in the Indian Ocean, suggesting dispersal from mainland Africa after the emergence of the youngest
island, Grande Comore, 500,000years ago. Additional sequences were obtained from GenBank for 24 species of other Rubiaceae
genera, including the Rubia genus whose origin has been dated from the Upper Miocene. Estimates of substitution rates suggested that diversification
in Coffea subgenus Coffea occurred about 460,000years ago or as recently as the last 100,000years, depending on the cpDNA region considered and calibration.
The phylogenetic relationships based on plastid sequences confirmed biogeographic differentiation of coffee species, but they
were not congruent with morphological and biochemical classifications, or with the capacity to grow in specific environments.
Examples of convergent evolution in the main clades are given using characters of leaf size, caffeine content and reproductive
mode.
KeywordsAfrica-Biogeography-
Coffea
-Evolution-Phylogeny-Plastid sequences-Rubiaceae
... Alignment of DNA sequences was accomplished to a rough approximation using Sequencher 3.0 (Gene Codes, Ann Arbor, MI) with subsequent manual corrections. Alignment procedures were as described in Hoot and Douglas (1998), paying careful attention to repeated motifs (type Ib indels) and runs of the same nucleotide (type Ia indels). Using Mac-Clade (Maddison and Maddison 2001), insertions/deletions (indels) were scored as binary characters, following the conservative simple gap coding method (Simmons and Ochoterena 2000). ...
This study tests the phylogenetic affinities of 11 South American species of Anemone s.l., including the closely related endemic segregate genera Barneoudia and Oreithales. We analyzed combined sequence data (chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer and nuclear ITS regions) for 51 species of Anemone s.l., using both likelihood and cladistic methods. The segregate genera, Oreithales and Barneoudia, nest within Anemone and are included in a clade (subgenus Anemone, sect. Pulsatilloides) consisting largely of South American taxa (Anemone sellowii, Anemone helleborifolia, and Anemone rigida) and other Southern Hemisphere species (e.g., Anemone caffra, Knowltonia vesicatoria, and Anemone crassifolia). As reported previously, Anemone antucensis (Chile and Argentina) is in a separate clade (subgenus and section Anemonidium) and is sister to Anemone tenuicaulis (New Zealand). Anemone multifida, Anemone triternata, and Anemone decapetala are embedded in a clade (subgenus and section Anemone) consisting largely of North American taxa. The tetraploid, Anemone multifida, was found in two separate, highly supported clades in the nuclear and chloroplast trees, suggesting a hybrid origin. Both sections Pulsatilloides and Anemonidium suggest that anemones originated in the Northern Hemisphere and subsequently spread to the Southern Hemisphere, a pattern found in common with other members of Ranunculaceae. Preliminary suggestions are offered for the reclassification of Anemone.
... The large southern hemisphere family, Proteaceae, has long been of biogeographic, ecological and evolutionary interest. Within Proteaceae, subfamily Persoonioideae and Bellendena (subfamily Bellendenoideae) are of great phylogenetic significance, being sister groups to all other taxa (Hoot and Douglas 1998;Weston and Barker 2006;Barker et al. 2007;Sauquet et al. 2009). Persoonioideae includes Placospermum coriaceum C.T.White & W.D.Francis, the sole representative of tribe Placospermeae, and considered by Johnson and Briggs (1975) to appear to preserve the greatest number of primitive character states in the family. ...
... where there are two subsidiary cells flanking the sides of the guard cells but not completely enclosing them : Dilcher 1974) and distinctive annular trichome bases that often encompass more than one underlying epidermal cell (Carpenter et al. 2005). The placement of the Newvale fossils within the extant subfamily Persoonioideae was based on presumed synapomorphies identified from studies of extant specimens and comparison with published phylogenies of the family (Hoot and Douglas 1998;Weston and Barker 2006;Barker et al. 2007;Sauquet et al. 2009). Extant species examined for gross leaf form included the Proteaceae herbarium specimens housed at the University of Adelaide and at BRI. Cuticles from all extant genera of Proteaceae (Douglas 1995;Weston and Barker 2006) and~400 species housed at the University of Adelaide were also compared with the fossils. ...
Fossils from the Newvale lignite mine, Southland, are the first substantiated foliar records of Proteaceae subfamily Persoonioideae. The fossils possess very large stomata, a probable synapomorphy for Persoonioideae, and within Proteaceae the combination of this feature and more or less parallel-aligned, brachyparacytic stomatal complexes and undulate anticlinal epidermal cell walls is uniquely found in this subfamily. The new genus Persoonieaephyllum is described to recognise affinity of the fossil leaves and cuticles with tribe Persoonieae of Persoonioideae and their distinction from its only other extant representative, Placospermum. Two new species are described. P. ornatum is represented by linear leaves less than 20mm wide and possessing more or less parallel-aligned major veins. These leaves closely match those of extant hypostomatic, broad-leaved species of tribe Persoonieae and are distinct from Placospermum in venation and several cuticular details. P. villosum has so far been recovered only as cuticular material in disaggregated lignite. It is distinct from P. ornatum in having abundant trichome bases, an absence of surface tubercules, and even larger stomata (guard cells often >7μm long). The fossils extend the known record of Persoonioideae in the New ZealandNew Caledonia region by ∼20million years.
... Our phylogenetic hypotheses were based on the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003) for the families, Whitlock et al . (2001) for the Malvaceae (Sterculiaceae), Hoot and Douglas (1998) for the Proteaceae and Wurdack et al . (2004Wurdack et al . ...
Aim We examine the relative importance of seed dispersal mode in determining the range size and range placement in 524 species from six focal plant families (Agavaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvacaeae, Sapindaceae, Proteaceae and Fabaceae (Acacia)).
Location Western Australia.
Methods Taxa were categorized by dispersal mode and life-form and their distributions modelled using maxent. Geographical range size was compared amongst dispersal mode, life-form and biome using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Geographical range placement was considered in a similar manner.
Results Range size did not vary with dispersal mode (ant versus wind and vertebrate dispersal) or life-form, and instead varied primarily as a function of the biogeographical region in which a species was found. Range placement, however, did vary among dispersal modes, with the consequence that diversity of wind- and ant-dispersed plants increased with latitude while the diversity of vertebrate-dispersed plants was more evenly distributed.
Main conclusions For the taxa studied, range sizes were a function of the biogeographical region in which species were found. Although differences in range size may exist among species differing in dispersal modes, they are likely to be far smaller than differences among species from different biogeographical regions. The trait most likely to affect species geographical range size, and hence rarity and risks associated with other threats, may simply be the geographical region in which that species has evolved.
... Currently, the subfamily is represented by a single indigenous species on the African continent: Brabejum stellatifolium (the wild almond). Morphologically, the genus Xylomelum (woody pears) from south-western Australia is similar to B. stellatifolium, but molecular studies do not support a close relationship between the two genera, Macadamia (from eastern Australia and Celebes to New Caledonia) being more closely related (Hoot & Douglas 1998). Among the invasive species, the most widespread are Hakea sericea (the silky hakea), H. drupacea (=H. ...
Abstract Understanding how the landscape-scale replacement of indigenous plants with alien plants influences ecosystem structure and functioning is critical in a world characterized by increasing biotic homogenization. An important step in this process is to assess the impact on invertebrate communities. Here we analyse insect species richness and abundance in sweep collections from indigenous and alien (Australasian) woody plant species in South Africa's Western Cape. We use phylogenetically relevant comparisons and compare one indigenous with three Australasian alien trees within each of Fabaceae: Mimosoideae, Myrtaceae, and Proteaceae: Grevilleoideae. Although some of the alien species analysed had remarkably high abundances of herbivores, even when intentionally introduced biological control agents are discounted, overall, herbivorous insect assemblages from alien plants were slightly less abundant and less diverse compared with those from indigenous plants – in accordance with predictions from the enemy release hypothesis. However, there were no clear differences in other insect feeding guilds. We conclude that insect assemblages from alien plants are generally quite diverse, and significant differences between these and assemblages from indigenous plants are only evident for herbivorous insects.
... Alignment of ITS sequences was accomplished to a rough approximation using Sequencher 3.0 (Gene Codes) with subsequent manual corrections. The criteria for indel alignment were as described by Hoot and Douglas (1998). Indels were not scored, and regions of ambiguous alignment were removed from the data set. ...
The endemic southern South American genus Hamadryas (Ranunculaceae), consisting of five species, has been regarded as closely related to or part of Ranunculus s.l. (tribe Ranunculeae) based on morphological observations. However, it differs from most other Ranunculus in its dioecious breeding system. Its phylogenetic placement within Ranunculaceae has never been rigorously examined. Here we report the results of two DNA sequence analyses: one using the chloroplast genes atpB and rbcL to broadly place Hamadryas within the family; the second using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions to further pinpoint Hamadryas's position within Ranunculeae. The chloroplast data confirm a monophyletic Ranunculoideae consisting of Ranunculeae and Anemoneae, with a well-supported rooting for Ranunculeae between a clade consisting of Hamadrayas, Halerpestes, and Trautvetteria (also including Ranunculus ficaria, but with weak support) and a core Raununculus clade. With the ITS data for Ranunculeae, Hamadryas is within a moderately supported clade consisting of Oxygraphis (Asia, Alaska), Peltocalathos (South Africa), and Callianthemoides (Chile, Argentina), with Callianthemoides weakly supported as sister to Hamadryas. Based on this and other data, we recommend that Hamadryas (along with many other segregate genera within Ranunculeae) be subsumed within the genus Ranunculus. We characterize the morphology and other attributes that occur in Hamadryas and sister genera and discuss possible causes for the development of dioecy in Hamadryas.
