MCA: Phylogenetic and Biogeographic Analyses and Infrageneric Classification of Hypoestes (Acanthaceae)

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This Mid-Career Advancement (MCA) project will study the evolution and taxonomy of the plant genus Hypoestes, a group of over 130 known species, most of which are native to the biodiversity hotspot of Madagascar. The diversity of this group in Madagascar is poorly known and evidence suggests that there are many undescribed species. To better understand the biodiversity and conservation status of the group in Madagascar, it is necessary to clearly identify species and understand their evolutionary relationships. This project will use DNA sequence and other data to identify species and reconstruct their evolutionary history, laying the groundwork for an improved taxonomy and understanding of biodiversity in the group. This MCA project will allow the principal investigator to work with an expert collaborator to develop new skills that will enhance their research and training program, generate opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student research experience, and provide for public education and engagement through outreach programs at the Missouri Botanical Garden.A phylogenetic study of Hypoestes will be conducted using the Angiosperms-353 probe set. This method consistently supplies over 100,000 base pairs of low-copy nuclear DNA sequences and can be used on degraded DNA. Most samples will be extracted from herbarium specimens using a modified CTAB method. Specimens will be tentatively identified using an unpublished resource prepared by the PI and comparison to online type specimen images. Some will be identified as possible new species, and undergraduate research interns will aid in species descriptions. Five other genera of tribe Justicieae will be used as outgroups. Genomic libraries will be prepared using commercial kits, pooled, enriched using the Angiosperms-353 myBaits® Expert Panel target capture kit, multiplexed, and sent to a commercial laboratory for Illumina® sequencing. Four different analytical methods will be used to produce gene and species trees from cleaned and aligned sequence data. Two methods will be used to produce dated trees calibrated using Acanthaceae fossils, and ancestral geographic ranges will be predicted. An infrageneric classification of Hypoestes globally will be proposed, which will recognize subgroups supported by both molecular and morphological characters.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.