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

蛇舌草属（Hedyotis）是一组近180种亚太热带植物，属于Rubiaceae（咖啡科）。蛇舌草及其相关属目前在分类学上定义不清。蛇舌草显示出高度的物种特有性，许多物种出现在一个岛屿或山上，其最近的亲戚出现在非洲和美洲。此外，一些岛屿和高海拔物种的蛇舌草-奥登兰迪亚复合体已经从草本祖先进化成小树。这被称为次生木质性，通常是岛屿或类似岛屿的栖息地所特有的。通过利用DNA和形态学数据建立系统发育，本项目旨在改进类群的分类，研究更广泛的古代分散模式问题，并研究亚洲和太平洋物种的次生木质进化发展。该项目将解决第四大植物科（茜草科）的分类问题，并从五个未被充分收集的生物多样性热点地区改善植物收集和植物学知识。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，并在系统发育、植物学和分类学方面培训学生。

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.