Despite extensive research into the phylogenetic relationships of the genus , Neotropical taxa have been neglected. This is partly because their numbers have recently doubled and now account for almost half of the global richness. Therefore, by sampling one-third of all Neotropical taxa their relationships were studied using morphological, nuclear, and plastome data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn accurate taxa delimitation, based on a full understanding of evolutionary processes involved in taxa differentiation, can be gained from a combination of ecological, morphological, and molecular approaches. The taxonomy of Magnoliasubsect.Talauma in Cuba has long been debated and exclusively based on traditional morphological study of a limited number of individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Caribbean islands provide an ideal setting for studying biodiversity, given their complex geological and environmental history, and their historical and current geographical proximity to the American mainland. Magnolia, a flagship tree genus that has 15 endemic and threatened taxa (12 species and 3 subspecies) on the Caribbean islands, offers an excellent case study to empirically test Caribbean biogeographical hypotheses. We constructed phylogenetic hypotheses to: (1) reveal their evolutionary history, (2) test the current largely morphology-based classification and assess species limits, and (3) investigate major biogeographic hypotheses proposed for the region.
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