Current Malvaceae Research:  The Malvatheca Clade

(mainly funded by NSF)

Research Foci

• Relationships within Bombacoideae with a focus on androecial evolution and biogeographic history (multiple dispersal events from South America to the Old World).

• Broad-scale patterns of floral evolution and its relation to pollination biology. Collaboration with Maria von Balthazar, Heidrun Janka, and Clemens Bayer.
• The origin of Eumalvoideae.  We are trying to phylogenetically localize three distinct events that occurred during the evolution of Eumalvoideae (and see if their temporal order can be resolved): migration from South America to Australasia; increased rate of molecular evolution (we have documented a 9-fold increase in plastid DNA), increased rate of species diversification.  We are also using molecular evolutionary studies to see if the change in molecular evolutionary rate involved changes in the strength of purifying selection.
• The phylogeny of Matisieae (collaboration with Bil Alverson)
• The origin and radiation of the Malagasy Hibisceae (Eumalvoideae).  We have evidence that some endemic Malagasy genera form a clade that is embedded within a grade of Malagasy “Hibiscus.”  We are hoping to clarify the relationships among the groups and conduct field studies on their pollination biology. Collaboration with Randy Small  and Bernard Pfeil.

Hibiscus macrogonus (photo: M. Koopman 2005)

Lagunaria patersonia (photo: G. Keena 2001)

Nomenclature

         In order to facilitate communication within Malvaceae systematics, we have proposed phylogenetic definitions of various clade names within Malvaceae.  In so doing we have attempted, so far as possible, to use names that correspond to taxa within the traditional, ranked nomenclatural system, and to provide definitions that conform to historical usage of those names given the constraint of monophyly.  While these definitions do not have standing within the Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature , being published before the inception of that system, we hope to formalize these definitions once the PhyloCode comes into effect.  A full list of clade names and definitions is provided here.