Developmental Morphology, Biogeography, and Systematics of the Fringed Gentians (Gentianopsis, Gentianaceae)

翻译后摘要：流苏龙胆（龙胆属，龙胆科）的发育形态学，植物地理学和系统学。一种流苏龙胆（Gentianopsis thermalis）是黄石国家公园的官方植物。 其他物种是整个北美受威胁的湿地栖息地的指标，包括西部山区的潮湿草地，草原沼泽和阿巴拉契亚湿地社区。然而，对扁蕾属物种的进化历史知之甚少，目前关于其生态和生活方式的科学文献已被证明是不准确的。这项研究将包括在北美进行广泛的实地考察，对许多扁蕾属种群进行DNA数据采样，以重建这些物种的进化史。该框架将允许一系列的分析Gentianopsis的进化过程中的新物种的形成，在结构，生长和繁殖的进化变化率，以及与过去的气候变化相关的地理分布的变化。这组植物提供了一个理想的研究系统，在其中检查植物进化的许多方面的相互关系。对进化生物学知识基础的这一基本贡献可能是该项目最重要的成果。 这项工作的结论也将建立物种的数量和限制，影响稀有的扁蕾属物种的管理，并澄清当这些植物用作湿地指标时，可以从这些植物的分布中得出什么推论。

Abstract: Developmental morphology, biogeography, and systematics of the fringed gentians (Gentianopsis, Gentianaceae).PI: Barbara A. WhitlockOne species of fringed gentian (Gentianopsis thermalis) is the official plant of Yellowstone National Park. Other species are indicators of threatened wetland habitats throughout North America including wet meadows of western mountains, prairie fens, and Appalachian wetland communities. However, little is known about the evolutionary history of Gentianopsis species, and the current scientific literature about their ecology and way of life has been proved inaccurate. This study will include extensive fieldwork in North America, sampling many Gentianopsis populations for DNA data to reconstruct the phylogeny (evolutionary history) of these species. This framework will allow a series of analyses of evolutionary processes in Gentianopsis on the formation of new species, rates of evolutionary change in structure, growth and reproduction, and changes in geographic distribution correlated with past climate change.This group of plants provides an ideal study system in which to examine the interrelationships of many aspects of plant evolution. This fundamental contribution to the knowledge base of evolutionary biology may be the most significant outcome of the project. Conclusions of this work will also establish the number and limits of species, influence the management of rare Gentianopsis species, and clarify what inferences can be drawn from the distribution of these plants when used as wetland indicators.