REU: Systematics and Phylogeny of Madagascan and African Dalechampia (Euphorbiaceae)

Dalechampia是一品红科的一个藤本植物属 （大戟科）在亚洲的低地热带地区很常见， 非洲和美洲。 尽管现在对这一点已经了解得很多， 物种多样性、系统发育关系和授粉 新世界物种的生物学，在很大程度上是因为博士。 斯科特·阿姆布鲁斯特在过去十年的研究， 对旧大陆物种知之甚少。 Dalechampia正在 作为研究热带植物如何 进化是为了应对选择性压力， 专门的传粉者 旧大陆物种必须整合 这些研究完成了系统发育分析的 全属 此外，准确的植物区系清单（使用 在作出管理和保护决定时） 旧世界和新世界的地区都依赖于可靠的 常见物种的分类信息，如Dalechampia。 在旧大陆，Dalechampia在马达加斯加是最多样化的 和南部非洲。 阿姆斯特博士会收集植物标本 该区域中的标本沿着有液体保存的材料， 用于形态学和生物化学分析，包括 植物产生的不寻常的树脂和芳香化合物 并被授粉的蜜蜂所利用。 观察到的行为 授粉动物也将被制造出来。 形态学数据将 使用分支方法进行分析，以确定可能的 显示旧大陆分类群之间关系的系统发育树 以及新旧世界群体之间的差异。 这些结果将改善 Dalechampia分类系统表明， 在新旧世界物种进化中的迁徙路径， 并确定各种授粉机制的起源 在这些植物中发现的。

Dalechampia is a genus of vines of the poinsettia family (Euphorbiaceae) common throughout the lowland tropics in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Although much is now known about the species diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and pollination biology of the New World species, in large part because of Dr. Scott Armbruster's studies over the last ten years, relatively little is known about Old World species. Dalechampia is being employed as a model system for the study of how tropical plants evolve in response to selective pressures generated by specialized pollinators. Old World species must be integrated into these studies to complete a phylogenetic analysis of the entire genus. Furthermore, accurate floristic inventories (used in making management and conservation decisions) of tropical regions of the Old World as well as the New depend on reliable taxonomic information for common species such as Dalechampia. In the Old World, Dalechampia is most diverse in Madagascar and southern Africa. Dr. Armbruster will collect herbarium specimens in this region along with liquid-preserved material, for morphological and biochemical analyses, including analyses of the unusual resins and fragrance compounds produced by the plants and used by pollinating bees. Observations of the behavior of pollinating animals will also be made. Morphological data will be analyzed using cladistic methods to determine likely phylogenetic trees that show relationships among Old World taxa and between Old and New World groups. These results will improve the classification system for Dalechampia, indicate likely migratory pathways in the evolution of Old and New World species, and determine the origins of the various pollination mechanisms found in these plants.