Neotropical Sapindales floral structure: implications for systematics and evolution
Abstract
Sapindales are currently considered a monophyletic group, and are part of Eudicots Malvids. This order comprises nine families, ca. 5200 species, 473 genera, mostly occurring in tropical and temperate regions of the world. About 40% of Sapindales species diversity is concentrated in the Neotropical region, where the order is represented by six families (Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, Meliaceae, Rutaceae, Sapindaceae, and Simaroubaceae). Economically, Sapindales representatives play important roles in several markets as diverse as food, phamarceutic, woody and furniture, shipbuilding. Within Sapindales, interfamilial phylogenetic relationships are often unsupported or low-supported (otherwise taxon sampling balance among families is problematic), which may be improved by a much denser taxon sampling approach that includes as much neotropical groups as possible. Thus, we propose to infer a genus-level phylogeny of Sapindales (and species-level phylogenies of four selected neotropical genera: Schinus, Simaba, Spiranthera and Nycticalanthus), to build a phylogenetic classification for the order, and suggest (based on results) diversification hypotheses for each neotropical genus. After phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses, problematic areas of the phylogenetic tree will be identified and selected for later phylogenetic, taxonomic, and evolutionary studies in the order. In this study, we will perform phylogenetic and diversification analyses, based on six molecular markers (five from the cpDNA and one from the nDNA), for each genera and family sampled. After completion, this proposal will allow us to: 1) provide a genus-level phylogeny and a phylogenetic classification for Sapindales (and for each of the six families); 2) understand the diversification history of Neotropical Sapindales; 3) produce two PhD thesis and two MSc dissertations; and 4) stablish and develop an international cooperation program. (AU)