REU: Pollen Morphology and Evolution in the Proteaceae

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The Proteaceae are a diverse group of plants dating back to the Cretaceous Period, now dispersed among the southern continents by the break-up of the Mesozoic continent Gondwana. New data on modern and fossil pollen will be gathered using light and electron microscopy. For the first time, the ancestor- descendant relationships within the family will be assessed by combining pollen data with information on the morphology, anatomy, and cytology of the whole plants. The proposed research will expand our understanding of the evolution and geographic history of the family during continental drift, and will clarify its relationships with other families of plants. The use of multiple datasets in assessing relationships will also illuminate the process of character evolution.