Leaf development of Clusieae and related tribes (Clusiaceae, Malpighiales): an ontogenetic and evolutionary approach

• Grant number: 25/07762-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Gladys Flávia de Albuquerque Melo de Pinna
• Grantee: Jose Miguel Rojas Villa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Clusieae tribe is the largest subclade of the Clusiaceae family, whose representatives have unique leaf morphological characteristics, such as the excavated petiole and the presence of stipule-like structures, whose origin and evolution remain poorly understood. This research project aims to investigate these characters through an integrative anatomical and phylogenetic approach, seeking to answer some questions such as: 1- What are the ontogenetic processes involved in the formation of the excavated petioles in the tribe Clusieae? 2- Is there connation of stipules during the formation of the structure described as the excavated petiole? 3- Are the structures present at the leaf base of representatives of the tribes Clusieae, Symphonieae and Garcinieae vascularized? 4- If vascularized, is there any anatomical evidence to indicate the nature of the structures present? 5 - What is the probable evolutionary history of leaf base structures in Clusieae and other nearby groups? Preliminarily, data was collected from the literature on the occurrence of stipules and/or excavated petioles in the previously selected species. After this survey, 33 species were selected, 27 of which belong to the tribe Clusieae, two to the tribe Symphonieae and four to the tribe Garcinieae. Different techniques will be used, including optical microscopy from serial sections of stem apices, microtomography to analyze the vascular architecture at the leaf base, and scanning electron microscopy to follow leaf development from the earliest stages. (AU)