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

该项目将产生一个框架，用于研究中美洲和南美洲热带雨林中一个研究不足的植物群中花卉和水果多样化的迷人例子。大多数物种的目标组（属Drymonia在开花植物科苦苣苔科）很少收集和不充分的了解。许多将被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，以回答有关水果和花形态起源的问题。该项目的结果将记录严重濒危生态系统的植物多样性。探索性采集考察将在巴拿马、哥斯达黎加、秘鲁和法属圭亚那进行，这些目标地区代表了我们对植物多样性知识的重大空白。培训机会将给予一名博士候选人在外地和实验室为导向的研究和本科生在亚拉巴马大学。来自塔斯卡卢萨市/县学校的教师将接触到各种经验，包括协助实地考察热带地区。一个活的收集将被开发用于保护稀有和濒危物种以及评估花卉特征。

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.