DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phylogeny of Caesalpinioid Legumes from the Guyana Shield

豆科植物(650属/18000种)是世界上第三大开花植物科，也是第二大经济科。该亚科的研究相对较少，最近的形态和分子证据表明，这个亚科可能不是一个自然的类群。凯撒亚科成员的地位和关系不确定的部分原因是，许多属和它们的种鲜为人知，也很少收集。植物分类学和系统发育的研究本质上依赖于田野工作，在偏远地区经常是这样，通常情况下，苏木纲豆科植物就是这样，特别是在本研究中。本提案中概述的研究将为南美洲圭亚那盾地区(委内瑞拉、苏里南、法属圭亚那和圭亚那)特有的一组鲜为人知的凯萨皮亚目豆科植物属提供专题修订和物种水平的系统发育假说。国家科学基金会ddig计划的资金将允许雷登女士前往委内瑞拉和欧洲的博物馆，检查这项研究所需的标本馆材料，并在委内瑞拉南部进行实地工作，收集植物标本、干燥的叶子样本和腌制的花卉进行研究。总共将在委内瑞拉的内布利纳山脉地区度过五周的时间。在委内瑞拉期间，雷登女士还将访问五个草本植物，为这项研究的专题和系统发育方面收集植物特征和分布的信息。雷登斯女士论文的主要目的是对该属的五个关键属(Dicymbe属、Paloue属、Paloveopsis属、异茎属和伊丽莎白属)进行系统的修订，并研究该属的形态进化，特别是花的形态。与委内瑞拉科学家、学生和当地社区直接合作是这项研究的重要组成部分。这些活动将加强与包括学生在内的委内瑞拉植物学家的合作，并将有助于更广泛地研究苏木亚科植物之间的关系。在委内瑞拉的草本植物研究期间，雷登将检查和拍摄标本，核实身份，并尽可能识别未知材料。除了为她的研究寻找重要的标本外，雷登斯女士在委内瑞拉的植物标本馆工作还将有助于改善他们的收藏。我们一直在与巴兹尔·斯特里戈斯博士和西拉诺斯国家实验大学(UNLLEZ)合作规划实地工作。斯特吉奥斯博士和他的学生将陪同雷登进行实地考察。这次探险不仅将为论文项目提供重要信息，还将记录委内瑞拉的生物多样性。将为史密森学会(美国)、赫巴里奥大学生物中心-联合国教科文组织(港口)和委内瑞拉赫巴里奥国家医院(VEN)制作凭证样本。除植物收藏品外，所有其他信息也将与联合国开发计划署共享。照片、全球定位系统坐标、现场笔记本和其他数据也将被复制并留在联合国开发区。

The legume family (650 genera/~18,000 species) is the third largest family of flowering plants and the second most economically important family. The subfamily Caesalpinioideae has received relatively little attention and recent morphological and molecular evidence suggests this subfamily may not be a natural group. Part of the reason for the uncertain status and relationships of the members of the Caesalpinioideae is that many of the genera and their species are poorly known and rarely collected. The study of plant taxonomy and phylogeny is inherently dependent on field work, many times in remote areas, which is the case for caesalpinioid legumes in general, and in this study in particular. The research outlined in this proposal will provide monographic revisions and species-level phylogenetic hypotheses for a group of poorly known caesalpinioid legume genera that are endemic to the Guiana Shield area of South America (Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, and Guyana). Funding from the NSF DDIG program will allow Ms. Redden to travel to museums in Venezuela and Europe to examine herbarium material that is needed for this study, and to conduct field work in southern Venezuela to collect plant specimens, dried leaf samples, and pickled flowers for study. A total of five weeks will be spent in the Sierra de la Neblina area of Venezuela. While in Venezuela, Ms. Redden will also visit five herbaria to gather information on plant characteristics and distribution for the monographic and phylogenetic aspects of this study. The primary objectives Ms. Reddens dissertation are to provide a systematic revision of five key genera of the group (Dicymbe, Paloue, Paloveopsis, Heterostemon and Elizabetha) and to study morphological evolution, especially floral morphology, in this group.Working directly with Venezuelan scientists, students, and local communities is an essential part of this study. These activities will enhance collaboration with Venezuelan botanists, including students, and will contribute to broader studies of relationships within Caesalpinioideae. While conducting research in the Venezuelan herbaria Ms. Redden will examine and photograph specimens, verify identifications, and identify unknown material wherever possible. In addition to locating important specimens for her research, Ms. Reddens herbarium work in Venezuela will help to improve their collections. We have been working with Dr. Basil Sterigos with the Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos Occidentales Ezequil Zamora(UNELLEZ) in planning the field work. Dr. Stergios and his student will accompany Ms. Redden on the field expedition. This expedition will not only contribute vital information to the dissertation project, it will also document biological diversity in Venezuela. Voucher specimens will be made for the Smithsonian Institution (US), Herbario Universitario BioCentro-UNELLEZ (PORT), and Herbario Nacional de Venezuela (VEN). In addition to the plant collections, all other information will also be shared with UNELLEZ. Photographs, GPS coordinates, field notebooks, and other data also will be copied and left with UNELLEZ.