Thesis
Phylogenetics and biogeography of Mentzelia section Mentzelia (Loasaceae)
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2014
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100714
Abstract
Mentzelia section Mentzelia (Loasaceae) consists of approximately 25 species distributed widely in arid regions of North, Central, South America, the West Indies and Florida. We used phylogeny reconstruction to assess the relationships and test biogeographic hypotheses. Our molecular phylogenetic approach used sequence data from nrITS and the plastid matK, rps16- trnk, trnL-F, and ndhf-rpl32 regions to reconstruct relationships. Our results strongly support the monophyly of section Mentzelia and we recover several monophyletic taxa. Dating analysis indicated the crown age of section Mentzelia to be 26.05-13.32 million years ago, suggesting the uplift of the Laraminde Orgeny and the island rafting of the Antilles did not contribute to speciation by vicariance. Dispersal is the likely mode for speciation for South American taxa either through overland migration via the Isthmus of Panama during the Pleistocene or long distance dispersal between the middle Miocene to present via desert disjunction or introductions to the West Indies.
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Details
- Title
- Phylogenetics and biogeography of Mentzelia section Mentzelia (Loasaceae)
- Creators
- Joseph Lawrence Grissom
- Contributors
- Larry Hufford (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Biological Sciences, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525100101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis