| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section Small, Randall [1], Wolfe, Andrea D. [2]. Phylogenetic studies in Penstemon (Plantaginaceae) using multiple nuclear gene sequences. Penstemon (Plantaginaceae) is a North American genus of approximately 270 species. The majority of Penstemon species are found in western North America with a smaller number found in the east. The genus displays remarkable morphological diversity in both floral and vegetative traits, as well as pollination biology. Penstemon is a model system for studying the evolution of pollination syndromes, particularly shifts between insect and hummingbird pollination. To facilitate ecological and evolutionary studies in Penstemon a well-resolved and robustly supported phylogenetic hypothesis is required. Previous studies using nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) sequences have provided some resolution of relationships among major clades within Penstemon, but lack sufficient variation to resolve relationships among all species. To facilitate this work we have isolated and sequenced several low-copy number nuclear genes from a group of species representative of major clades to assess their relative utilities in resolving the phylogeny of Penstemon. These nuclear genes display a considerably higher level of variation than either ITS or cpDNA sequences, and result in a better resolved and supported phylogenetic hypothesis.
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1 - University of Tennessee, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 442 Hesler Biology, Knoxville, Tennesee, 37996, USA
2 - Ohio State University, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, 300 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 W. 12th Ave., Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1293, USA
Keywords:
Penstemon
Plantaginaceae.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for BSA Sections
Session: 32
Location: Rendezvous A/Snowbird Center
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 9:30 AM
Number: 32007
Abstract ID:516 |
