Phylogenetics and taxonomic revision of the neotropical genus Drymonia (Gesneriaceae, tribe Episcieae)

该项目将为研究中美洲和南美洲热带雨林中鲜为人知的一类植物的花果多样化提供一个框架。目标类群中的大多数种(苦瓜科开花植物属)很少被采集，也不为人所知。许多将要研究的物种从未被拍摄过，至少有10个物种是科学上的新物种。将产生分子数据来评估最近多样化的谱系，以回答关于水果和花的形态起源的问题。这个项目的结果将记录来自极度濒危的生态系统的植物多样性。将在巴拿马、哥斯达黎加、秘鲁和法属圭亚那进行探索性采集探险，在这些地区，我们对植物多样性的了解存在重大差距。培训机会将提供给阿拉巴马大学以实地和实验室为导向的研究的一名博士生和本科生。塔斯卡卢萨市/县学校的教师将获得各种经验，包括协助到热带地区进行实地考察。为保护稀有和濒危物种以及评估花卉特征，将开发一份活体标本。

This project will produce a framework for studying a fascinating example of flower and fruit diversification in a poorly studied plant group from the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Most species in the target group (genus Drymonia in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae) are rarely collected and inadequately known. Many of the species that will be studied have never been photographed and at least ten species are new to science. Molecular data will be generated to assess recently diversified lineages to answer questions on the origins of fruit and flower morphologies.Results from this project will document plant diversity from ecosystems that are critically endangered. Exploratory collecting expeditions will be conducted in Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, and French Guiana where targeted areas represent significant gaps in our knowledge of plant diversity. Training opportunities will be given to one doctoral candidate in field and lab-oriented research and undergraduate students at the University of Alabama. Teachers from the Tuscaloosa City/County Schools will be exposed to a variety of experiences including assisting on field expeditions to the tropics. A live collection will be developed for conservation of rare and endangered species as well as for assessing floral features.