Systematics of an Ancient North American Lineage of Robinieae (Leguminosae)

本研究的目的是修订15种 目前被称为Lennea，Hybosema，Gliricidia，和 尤卡拉托尼亚 这将稳定 这部分的部落Robinieae和更好地估计 这些物种的系统发育位置。这些物种 形成了北部干燥热带森林的独特元素 美洲;然而，两种发生在热带雨林和一个 发生在南美洲。 这些物种的经济用途很多 包括木材、牲畜饲料等建筑材料 从丰富的树叶生产，和“生活”围栏周围 农田和私人住宅。 这一切的高潮 研究将是一本总结分类的专著， 它们的起源、地理分布和经济价值 物种 分类学信息酶切位点分析 叶绿体基因组的突变将与 经典的分类学方法 进一步评估系统发育 这些种在刺槐族中的地位是重要的 因为对系统发育的理解 Robinieae内的关系将对我们的知识产生影响 北美热带雨林的起源和地理学 植物群。 刺槐亚科是蝶形花科中最大的类群之一 分布于北美洲的热带和亚热带地区。 电流 有证据表明它可能来自亚洲人的祖先 在古新世或始新世，而不是从南美洲 祖先在近代。 这种系统发育研究的其他 以北美热带为中心的植物群将 对于了解这种生物群的起源至关重要。

The objective of this study is the revision of the fifteen species currently referred to Lennea, Hybosema, Gliricidia, and Yucaratonia. This will stabilize the generic classification of this portion of the tribe Robinieae and better estimate the phylogenetic position of these species within it. These species form a distinctive element of the dry tropical forests in North America; however, two species occur in tropical rain forest and one occurs in South America. Economic uses of these species are many and include construction materials from the wood, livestock fodder from the copious leaf production, and "living" fences around agricultural fields and private dwellings. The culmination of this study will be a monograph summarizing the classification, phylogeny, geographic distribution, and economic value of each species. An analysis of taxonomically informative restriction site mutations from the chloroplast genome will be combined with classical taxonomic methods. Further assessing the phylogenetic position of these species in the tribe Robinieae is important because an increased understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within Robinieae will have a bearing on our knowledge of the origins and biogeography of the North American tropical flora. Robinieae is one of the largest papilionoid tribes well represented in tropical and subtropical North America. Current evidence suggests it may have been derived from Asiatic ancestors during the Paleocene or Eocene rather than from South American ancestors in more recent times. Such phylogenetic studies of other plant groups centered in the North American tropics will be essential for understanding the origins of this biota.