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Abstract PremiseCentropogonsubgenusCentropogoncomprises 55 species found primarily in midelevation Andean forests featuring some of the most curved flowers among angiosperms. Floral curvature is linked to coevolution with the sicklebill hummingbird, which pollinates most species. Despite charismatic flowers, there is limited knowledge about the phylogenetic relationships and floral evolution. MethodsWe conducted the first densely sampled phylogenomic analysis of the clade using methods that account for incomplete lineage sorting on a sequence capture dataset generated with a lineage‐specific probe set. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we test for correlated evolution of two traits central to sicklebill pollination. ResultsWe improve understanding of species relationships by more than doubling past taxon sampling. We confirm the monophyly of the subgenus and two sections, and the non‐monophyly of remaining sections. The subgenus is characterized by high gene tree discordance. Three widespread species display contrasting phylogenetic dynamics, withC. cornutusforming a clade andC. granulosusandC. solanifoliusforming non‐monophyletic, biogeographically clustered lineages. Correlated evolution of floral curvature and inflorescence structure has led to multiple putative losses of sicklebill pollination. ConclusionsCentropogonsubgenusCentropogonadds to a growing body of literature of Andean plant clades with high gene tree discordance. This phylogeny serves as a foundational framework for further macroevolutionary investigations into the environmental and biogeographic factors shaping the evolution of pollination‐related traits.
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Evolution of apetaly in the cosmopolitan genus Stellaria
PremiseApetaly is widespread across distantly related lineages of flowering plants and is associated with abiotic (or self‐) pollination. It is particularly prevalent in the carnation family, and the cosmopolitan genusStellariacontains many lineages that are hypothesized to have lost petals from showy petalous ancestors. But the pollination biology of apetalous species ofStellariaremains unclear. MethodsUsing a substantial species‐level sampling (~92% of known taxonomic diversity), we describe the pattern of petal evolution withinStellariausing ancestral character state reconstructions. To help shed light on the reproductive biology of apetalousStellaria, we conducted a field experiment at an alpine tundra site in the southern Rocky Mountains to test whether an apetalous species (S. irrigua) exhibits higher levels of selfing than a sympatric, showy petalous congener (S. longipes). ResultsAnalyses indicated that the ancestor ofStellariawas likely showy petalous and that repeated, parallel reductions of petals occurred in clades across much of the world, with uncommon reversal back to showy petals. Field experiments supported high rates of selfing in the apetalous species and high rates of outcrossing in the petalous species. ConclusionsPetal loss is rampant across major clades ofStellariaand is potentially linked with self‐pollination worldwide. Self‐pollination occurs within the buds inS. irrigua, and high propensities for this and other forms of selfing known in many other taxa of arctic‐alpine habitats may reflect erratic availability of pollinators.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1637686
- PAR ID:
- 10387846
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- American Journal of Botany
- Volume:
- 108
- Issue:
- 5
- ISSN:
- 0002-9122
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 869-882
- Size(s):
- p. 869-882
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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