DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Hedyotis L. (Rubiaceae) in Asia: Phylogeny, Character Evolution, and Biogeography

白花蛇舌草属(Hedyotis)植物是茜草科(咖啡科)近180种亚太热带植物。白花蛇舌草属及其近缘属目前在分类学上是定义不明确的类群。白花蛇舌草表现出高度的物种特有性，许多物种出现在一个岛屿或山脉上，其近亲出现在非洲和美洲。此外，白花蛇舌草-白花蛇舌草复合体中的一些岛屿和高海拔物种已经从草本祖先进化为小乔木。这被称为次生木质，通常是岛屿或岛状栖息地特有的。通过使用DNA和形态数据建立系统发育树，该项目旨在改进该物种的分类，调查更广泛的古代扩散模式问题，并研究亚洲和太平洋物种次生木质的进化发展。该项目将解决第四大植物科(茜草科)的分类问题，并改进五个生物多样性热点地区的植物采集和植物学知识。此外，这项研究将与六个国家的国际机构建立伙伴关系，促进科学家之间的合作，并培训学生在系统发育、植物学和分类学方面。

The plant genus Hedyotis is a group of nearly 180 Asian-Pacific tropical species in the plant family Rubiaceae (the coffee family). Hedyotis and its related genera are currently taxonomically ill-defined groups. Hedyotis exhibits high levels of species endemism, with many species occurring on a single island or mountain, and its closest relatives occur in Africa and America. Additionally, some of the island and high elevation species in the Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex have evolved from herbaceous ancestors into small trees. This is known as secondary woodiness, and is often specific to islands or island-like habitats. By building a phylogeny using DNA and morphological data, this project aims to improve the classification of the group, investigate broader issues of ancient dispersal patterns, and examine the evolutionary development of secondary woodiness in the Asian and Pacific species. This project will resolve the classification of the fourth largest plant family (Rubiaceae), and improve plant collections and botanical knowledge from five under-collected biodiversity hotspots. Additionally, this research will build partnerships with international institutions in six countries, foster collaborations between scientists, and train students in phylogenetics, botany, and taxonomy.