Dissertation Research: Morphological and Molecular Systematics of Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae)

这个项目将调查大豆科的分类、历史和生物地理学，大豆科的一组木本藤本植物。大豆亚科植物共有47属350种，是美洲热带地区最大、最重要的木本藤本植物。在一些地区，它们占物种的20%-25%。它们以其引人注目的观赏花(如在美国发生的小号爬行植物)、它们的木材和它们的药用价值而闻名。尽管它们很重要，但大熊亚科很难识别，部分原因是我们不了解该物种的关系。这个项目的第一个目标是利用形态和DNA数据来确定大豆亚科的系统发育(即系谱)。在此系统发育的基础上，将对大豆亚科的分类进行修订，并对其形态、生态和生物地理变异模式进行重新评价。更好的分类将有助于识别这一热带森林的优势成分。比尼奥涅亚族的历史反映了这个半球热带地区的历史。在植物学知识的增长跟不上多样性丧失的时代，将资源分配给热带森林的主要组成部分是当务之急。

0073052KelloggThis project will investigate the classification, history, and biogeography of Bignonieae, a group of woody vines in the catalpa family (Bignoniaceae). Bignonieae, with 350 species and 47 genera, is the largest and most important group of woody vines in tropical regions of the Americas. In some areas, they make up 20-25% of the species. They are known for their strikingly ornamental flowers (such as the the trumpet-creeper, which occurs in the U.S.), their timber, and their medicinal value. Despite their importance, Bignonieae are hard to identify, in part because we do not understand the relationships of the species. The first goal of this project is to determine the phylogeny (i.e., genealogy) of Bignonieae using morphological and DNA data. From this phylogeny, the classification of Bignonieae will be revised, and patterns of morphological, ecological and biogeographical variation will be re-evaluated.A better classification of Bignonieae will help in identification of this dominant component of neotropical forests. The history of the Bignonieae mirrors the history of tropical regions in this hemisphere. In an era when the increase in botanical knowledge cannot keep up with loss of diversity, allocation of resources to major components of tropical forests is a priority.