DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Systematics and Character Evolution of Passiflora supersection Disemma (Passifloraceae)

西番莲(西番莲)包括520多种藤本植物或小乔木，具有高度专门化的花朵，分布在世界各地的热带生境中。它们在新大陆的多样性最大，在旧大陆仅有22种罕见且鲜为人知的物种，它们来自亚洲和南太平洋地区。初步的系统发育研究表明，这22个物种来自同一个共同的祖先，从而形成了一个自然类群(超组分裂)。这一类西番莲与其他西番莲花的不同之处在于它的花发育、不寻常的叶片排列，以及在花以及叶和茎上发现的各种各样的产糖蜜腺，这意味着对这一类特征模式的理解对于理解整个属的多样性模式是必不可少的。将采用广泛的方法重建物种之间的系统发育关系，利用花的形态和解剖特征、营养结构以及核和叶绿体基因序列。蜜腺将通过比较各种形式的基因表达来研究，以解决它们是否具有共同的遗传基础的问题。将完成该部分的专著，其中将提出修订的物种范围、插图、分布图和检索表，以便于识别这些物种，为该群体的保护工作奠定必要的基础。该项目的影响远不止作为一项学位论文研究。西番莲是园艺的热门主题，因此这项工作的结果可能会对商业种植者和业余爱好者产生影响。与中亚和东南亚的研究人员广泛合作是这项研究不可或缺的一部分。来自中国云南、广东、海南以及越南、泰国、印度和巴布亚新几内亚的植物园和大学的个人将参与这些物种的获取和研究，加强美国和外国机构之间的联系。合作为所有参与方提供了一个机会，让他们了解保护栖息地的实际方面以及栖息地中发现的稀有物种。该专著将通过万维网向公众广泛提供，其中包括《迪斯玛》的识别工具。这些信息将有助于确定野生西番莲花的稀有物种，促进地方管理当局层面的保护工作。在野外采集的活材料将被培育并分发到美国的植物园，形成迁地保护工作的基础。保存下来的野外收藏品将被分发给草本植物，为未来的工作人员增加资源。蜜腺的发育研究将为如何利用基因技术探索形态多样性提供一个模型。

Abstract DEB 0407894Passiflora (the Passionflowers) comprises more than 520 species ofvines or small trees with highly specialized flowers that occur in tropicalhabitats worldwide. Most diverse in the New World, they are represented inthe Old World by only about 22 uncommon and poorly known species from Asiaand the Austral-Pacific region. Preliminary phylogenetic study indicatesthat those 22 species descended from a single common ancestor, thus forminga natural group (supersection Disemma). This group differs from otherPassionflowers in its floral development, unusual leaf arrangements, and inthe diverse array of sugar-producing nectaries found both in the flowers andon leaves and stems, meaning that an understanding of character patterns inthis group is essential to understanding patterns of diversity in the genusas a whole. A broad approach will be employed to reconstruct phylogeneticrelationships among the species, using characters from morphology andanatomy of flowers and vegetative structures and nuclear and plastid genesequences. Nectaries will be studied by comparing gene expression among thevarious forms to address the question of whether they share an underlyinggenetic basis. A monograph for the section will be completed that willpresent revised species circumscriptions, illustrations, distribution maps,and keys to facilitate identification of these species, forming an essentialbasis for conservation efforts for the group. The project has impact far beyond serving as a dissertation study.The Passionflowers are popular subjects for horticulture and therefore theresults of this work can have implications for commercial growers andhobbyists. Extensive collaboration with researchers in Central andSoutheast Asia is an integral part of the study. Individuals from botanicalgardens and universities in Yunnan, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces ofChina, as well as Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Papua New Guinea will beinvolved in the acquisition and study of these species, strengthening tiesbetween US and foreign institutions. Collaboration provides an opportunityfor all parties involved to learn about the practical aspects of conservinghabitats and the rare species found within them. The monograph, includingidentification tools for Disemma, will be made available to the publicbroadly via the World Wide Web. This information will allow identificationof rare species of Passionflowers in the wild, facilitating conservationefforts at the level of local management authorities. Live materialcollected in the field will be cultivated and distributed to botanicalgardens in the United States, forming the basis for ex situ conservationefforts. Preserved field collections will be distributed to herbaria,increasing resources for future workers. The developmental study ofnectaries will provide a model for how genetic techniques can be used toprobe morphological diversity.