0000000000146662

AUTHOR

Maria Will

Insights Into the Inside – A Quantitative Histological Study of the Explosively Moving Style in Marantaceae

This study aims to identify the histological basis for the extraordinary, fast movement of the style in Marantaceae. Although this explosive pollination mechanism was subject of many studies, quantitative measurements to document volumetric changes have never been conducted. Based on physical parameters and limitations (poroelastic time), the movement itself is by far too fast to be explained by turgor changes solely. Therefore, we address the hypothesis that the style contains elastic structures to store energy allowing the fast movement. We provide an experimental approach in Goeppertia bachemiana to identify histological differences of styles in various states, i.e., steady, unreleased, …

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Why Africa matters: evolution of Old World Salvia (Lamiaceae) in Africa

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Salvia is the largest genus in Lamiaceae and it has recently been found to be non-monophyletic. Molecular data on Old World Salvia are largely lacking. In this study, we present data concerning Salvia in Africa. The focus is on the colonization of the continent, character evolution and the switch of pollination systems in the genus. METHODS Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Analyses were based on two nuclear markers [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS)] and one plastid marker (rpl32-trnL). Sequence data were generated for 41 of the 62 African taxa (66 %). Mesquite was used to reconstru…

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Time to split Salvia s.l. (Lamiaceae) - New insights from Old World Salvia phylogeny.

Abstract Aims Salvia L. is widely known as the largest genus in the mint family. A morphological modification of the androecium (lever-like stamens) was used to support this genus. However, molecular data revealed that Salvia is polyphyletic. Since phylogenetic studies largely underrepresented Old World Salvia species, we filled this gap and combined new data with existing sequences. The aim of our study was the identification of well-supported clades that provide the basis for evolutionary and taxonomic conclusions. Methods We included ITS data (internal transcribed spacer) from 220 Salvia species, 86 of which were sequenced for the first time. Additionally, the highly variable plastid mar…

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Towards a new classification of Salvia s.l.: (re)establishing the genus Pleudia Raf.

Salvia L. In its traditional circumscription is the largest genus within the mint family. To date, the magnitude of the task has rendered it difficult to provide a genus-wide revision based on morphological data. Current molecular investigations based on a dense taxon sampling representing the whole phenotypic diversity and distribution range of Salvia confirmed that the genus is polyphyletic. Salvia species fall in 4 distinct clades, although all of them, except Clade IV, also include non-Salvia genera. A taxonomic revision is thus urgently needed with two different approaches that have to be considered: (1) to include the 5 morphologically distinct non-Salvia genera in Salvia or (2) to sp…

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