Dissertation Research: Understanding the origin and rapid diversification of the genus Anthurium (Araceae) integrating molecular phylogenetics, morphology and anatomy

来自安第斯山脉北部和中美洲南部较低斜坡的附生植物和草本植物约占新热带植物多样性的一半。这些种群最近经历了爆炸性的物种形成和适应性辐射，显然是对过去600万年地质和气候剧烈变化的反应。主要的附生属红烛属（天南星科，“花莲科”），有800种分布在哥斯达黎加到厄瓜多尔，将被用来检验这一快速和最近物种形成的假设。本项目将分析红掌属及其近缘属的分子、形态、地理和化石数据，以研究红掌属的进化关系、生物地理历史和多样化时间。研究新近和快速进化的植物类群的多样化模式将有助于我们对新热带植物区系进化变化的速度和模式的理解，并有助于解决其异常丰富的物种之谜。这项研究将增强对生态和园艺重要植物群的系统认识，并将系统研究与化石、分布和进化研究相结合。该项目将包括学生培训，建立专家、植物园和观赏植物种植者之间的合作网络；并通过会议、出版物和网站传播结果。

Epiphytes and herbs from the lower slopes of the northern Andes and southern Central America comprise about half of Neotropical plant diversity. These groups have undergone recent explosive speciation and adaptive radiation apparently in response to dramatic changes in geology and climate in the last 6 million years. The primarily epiphytic genus Anthurium (Araceae, "philodendron family"), with 800 species distributed from Costa Rica to Ecuador, will be used to test this hypothesis of rapid and recent speciation. This project will analyze molecular, morphological, geographic and fossil data from Anthurium and closely related genera to examine the evolutionary relationships, biogeographic history and timing of diversification in the group.Studying the pattern of diversification of recent and rapidly evolving plant groups will improve our understanding of the tempo and mode of evolutionary change of the Neotropical flora and contribute to resolving the mystery of its extraordinary species richness. This study will enhance systematic knowledge of an ecologically and horticulturally important plant group and will allow integration of systematic research with study of fossils, distribution and evolution. This project will include student training, building a collaborative network between specialists, botanical gardens and ornamental plant growers; and disseminating results through conferences, publications and websites.