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— Cecropia is a group of fast-growing pioneer trees that are important in forest regeneration and a common ant-plant mutualism in the Neotropics. To investigate the evolution of mutualism between Cecropia and associated ants, a phylogenetic framework is necessary. Cecropia species are difficult to distinguish morphologically and conventional genetic markers are insufficiently variable to resolve the phylogenetic relationships among species. Our study aimed to compare the phylogenetic utility of restriction site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing to prior work based on commonly sequenced gene regions. RAD sequence data resolved and supported species-level relationships better than previous studies. We identified a deeply divergent non-myrmecophytic clade including C. sciadophylla and African Musanga. Results from geographically widespread and morphologically heterogenous C. obtusifolia and C. angustifolia suggest that current synonymy has lumped phylogenetically divergent lineages. Reconstruction of ant associations on the highly supported Cecropia phylogeny inferred equal probability of the ancestor of Cecropia being myrmecophytic or not. More intensive genetic study is needed to refine species concepts in Cecropia.

Coca is the natural source of cocaine as well as a sacred and medicinal plant farmed by South American Amerindians and mestizos. The coca crop comprises four closely related varieties classified into two species (Amazonian and Huánuco varieties within Erythroxylum coca Lam., and Colombian and Trujillo varieties within Erythroxylum novogranatense (D. Morris) Hieron.) but our understanding of the domestication and evolutionary history of these taxa is nominal. In this study, we use genomic data from natural history collections to estimate the geographic origins and genetic diversity of this economically and culturally important crop in the context of its wild relatives. Our phylogeographic analyses clearly demonstrate the four varieties of coca comprise two or three exclusive groups nested within the diverse lineages of the widespread, wild species Erythroxylum gracilipes; establishing a new and robust hypothesis of domestication wherein coca originated two or three times from this wild progenitor. The Colombian and Trujillo coca varieties are descended from a single, ancient domestication event in northwestern South America. Huánuco coca was domesticated more recently, possibly in southeastern Peru. Amazonian coca either shares a common domesticated ancestor with Huánuco coca, or it was the product of a third and most recent independent domestication event in the western Amazon basin. This chronology of coca domestication reveals different Holocene peoples in South America were able to independently transform the same natural resource to serve their needs; in this case, a workaday stimulant. [Erythroxylum; Erythroxylaceae; Holocene; Museomics; Neotropics; phylogeography; plant domestication; target-sequence capture.]

—Sections Casparya and Semibegoniella are some of the most species rich groups of Begonia in the North Andean region. Taken together, both sections are clearly recognizable with respect to other sections of Begonia because of their distinctive fruits that open at the back of the locules and usually have no wings but horns, however the differences between the two are less clear. The gamophyllous perianth (vs. apophyllous in Casparya) and unilamellar placenta (vs. bilamellar in Casparya) have been proposed as diagnostic characters for Semibegoniella, but this distinction has been problematic due to species of intermediate morphology, and the lack of documentation of these characters in several species. Using three chloroplast markers and nuclear internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA (ITS), we present a phylogeny of the Begonia sections Casparya and Semibegoniella (Begoniaceae) and representative species of related sections. We demonstrate that both sections constitute a clade, however each one is polyphyletic, and synonymize Semibegoniella with section Casparya. Character evolution analysis reveals evidence of multiple events of convergent evolution in characters frequently used to separate Begonia sections Casparya and Semibegoniella. Additional taxonomic changes derived from this study include the designation of species status to Begonia luteyorum for Begonia brevipetala var. luteynorum, and the inclusion of Begonia raimondii as a synonym of Begonia hirta.

International audience; Understanding how species diversify and evolve in species-rich areas like the lowland rain forest in the Neotropics is critical for conservation in times of unprecedented threats. To determine how the Andean uplift, the formation of the Panama land bridge, and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations affected dispersal and diversification in the Sapotaceae subfamily Chrysophylloideae, we collected 146 Chrysophylloideae accessions in previously under-explored areas, generating one of the most geographically complete data sets for neotropical Sapotaceae. Sapotaceae is a good model to test diversification hypotheses in lowland neotropical rain forests as it predominantly occurs

The success of antifungal therapies is often hindered by the limited number of available drugs. To close the gap in the antifungal pipeline, the search of novel leads is of primary importance, and here the exploration of neglected plants has great promise for the discovery of new principles. Through bioassay-guided isolation, uliginosin B and five new dimeric acylphloroglucinols (uliginosins C-D, and 3′prenyl uliginosins B-D), besides cembrenoids, have been isolated from the lipophilic extract of Hypericum mexicanum. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry LC-MS and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements. The compounds showed strong anti-Candida activity, also against fluconazole-resistant strains, with fungal growth inhibition properties at concentrations ranging from 3 to 32 µM, and reduced or absent cytotoxicity against human cell lines. A chemogenomic screen of 3′prenyl uliginosin B revealed target genes that are important for cell cycle regulation and cytoskeleton assembly in fungi. Taken together, our study suggests dimeric acylphloroglucinols as potential candidates for the development of alternative antifungal therapies.

Species are often regarded as basic units of study in biology, following the presumption that they are real and discrete natural entities. But several biologists wonder if species are arbitrary divisions that do not correspond to discrete natural groups of organisms. Two issues must be addressed to solve this controversy, but few studies seem to do so. The first is whether organisms form sympatric and synchronic groups that are distinct in terms of phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies, often called “good species.” Alternatives to “good species” include “cryptic species,” syngameons and, more generally, cases in which phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies reflect contrasting evolutionary histories. The second issue is the degree to which species taxa (i.e., taxonomic classification at the species level) reflect natural groups of organisms or constitute arbitrary divisions of biological diversity. Here, we empirically addressed both issues by studying plants of the Andean genus Espeletia (Asteraceae). We collected a geographically dense sample of 538 specimens from the paramo de Sumapaz, in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia. Additionally, we examined 165 herbarium specimens previously collected by other researchers in this region, or from taxa known to occur there. We tested for the existence of phenotypic groups using normal mixture models and data on 13 quantitative characters. Among 307 specimens with all 13 measurements, we found six distinct phenotypic groups in sympatry. We also tested for the existence of groups defined by genome-wide allele frequencies, using ancestry models and data on 2,098 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Among 77 specimens with complete genomic data, we found three groups in sympatry, with high levels of admixture. Concordance between groups defined by phenotype and genome-wide allele frequencies was low, suggesting that phenotypes and genome-wide allele frequencies reflect contrasting evolutionary histories. Moreover, the high levels of admixture suggest that Espeletia plants form a syngameon in the paramo de Sumapaz. To determine the extent to which species taxa corresponded to phenotypic and genomic groups, we used data on 12 phenotypic characters to assign 307 specimens to species taxa, according to descriptions of species taxa in the most recent monograph of Espeletia. This sample included 27 specimens cited in the monograph. Remarkably, only one out of 307 specimens in our sample fell inside any of the phenotypic ranges reported in the monograph for the species taxa known to occur in the paramo de Sumapaz. These results show that species taxa in Espeletia are delineations of largely empty phenotypic space that miss biological diversity.

Fungal infections represent a major and increasing threat to public health resulting in a growing demand for new drugs. The genus Hypericum is a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolite, including antimicrobials and the exploration of uninvestigated species holds the potential for the discovery of novel molecules for the pharmaceutical market. Here the chemical composition, phytochemical relationships and the antifungal potential of seven of neglected Andean Hypericum species has been investigated. Through liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis, 34 phenolic compounds have been identified and quantified. Quercetin derivatives, catechin and epicatechin, procyanidin B2 and chlorogenic acid derivatives represented the most abundant compounds in all extracts. The antifungal activity was evaluated against a panel of clinical isolates of pathogenic fungi. Four of the tested extracts were active against C. albicans (MIC50

Resumen El bosque seco tropical (bs-T) es uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados a nivel mundial debido a la conversión histórica de sus tierras hacia pastos y cultivos. El bs-T del Jardín Botánico de Cartagena “Guillermo Piñeres” (JBGP) es un fragmento de 3 ha, aislado ubicado en un enclave húmedo donde nace el arroyo Matute, uno de los principales afluentes de Cartagena. Con el objetivo de estudiar la composición y estructura vegetal en uno de los últimos remanentes de bs-T cercanos a Cartagena, se construyó una parcela permanente de 1 ha y se censó la vegetación leñosa con diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP) ≥ 2.5 cm. Se registraron 1568 individuos y 2023 tallos de 62 especies distribuidas en 34 familias. El 85 % de los individuos registrados fueron árboles y arbustos, el 11 % lianas y el 4 % palmas. La familia con mayor riqueza de especies fue Sapindaceae, con cuatro, seguida de Apocynaceae, Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Nyctaginaceae y Urticaceae, cada una con tres. Se concluye que el bosque se encuentra en un estado de sucesión secundaria tardía, y que su ubicación e historial de perturbaciones son factores importantes en la determinación de su composición y estructura. Abstract The tropical dry forest (TDF) is one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide due to the historical conversion of its lands to pastures and crops. The TDF of the Cartagena Botanical Garden “Guillermo Piñeres” (JBGP), one of the last TDF relicts near Cartagena, is an isolated fragment of 3 ha located in a humid area caused by the presence of the spring of the Matute stream, one of the primary water sources of Cartagena. We built a 1 ha permanent plot to study the composition and plant structure of this forest. We measured the woody vegetation with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 2.5 cm. We recorded 1568 individuals and 2023 stems of 62 species distributed in 34 families. Of the individuals registered, 85 % were trees and shrubs, 11 % lianas and 4 % palms. The family with the highest species richness was Sapindaceae, with four, followed by Apocynaceae, Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Nyctaginaceae, and Urticaceae, each with three species. We conclude that the forest is in a late secondary state of succession. Its location and history of disturbances are essential factors in determining its composition, structure, and diversity.

Salvinia is a pantropical aquatic fern that has the highest species diversity in tropical America. Its evolutionary history and biogeography is still poorly understood. Contrasting its almost modern pantropical distribution, fossils of Salvinia have been found worldwide, including North America, Europe and Asia. Here, we describe fossils of Salvinia from four Paleogene localities of Colombia. Based on comparative morphological analyses of sterile organs, we describe two new species: Salvinia magdalenensis sp. nov. and Salvinia bogotensis sp. nov and assign the fossils from the other two localities to Salvinia sp. Available fossil data, together with these new records indicate that Salvinia was distributed in tropical latitudes as well as in temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere throughout most of the Cenozoic. Its modern pantropical distribution could be the result of Pleistocene extinction of Salvinia in temperate regions due to global cooling climate trend.

Resumen La mayor parte de los estudios realizados hasta el momento sobre el complejo de páramos de Chingaza se han desarrollado principalmente en las zonas cercanas a Bogotá y algunos sectores del Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza. El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar la zona de transición bosque-páramo en el complejo. Realizamos 5 transectos altitudinales en áreas con buen estado de conservación, en los que se obtuvieron 11,588 registros de ocurrencias y 1382 registros de rasgos funcionales de vegetación, edafofauna, anfibios y aves. Registramos dos especies de plantas en estado vulnerable (VU) (Hedyosmum parvifolium y Centronia brachycera) y un nuevo taxón endémico para este complejo de páramo (Puya loca). Análisis preliminares de los datos presentados sugieren variación en estructura biótica a lo largo del gradiente, y cambios en la composición de las comunidades. Con la información presentada se logró identificar la zona de transición entre el bosque altoandino y el páramo por medio de diversos atributos fisonómicos, florísticos, ecológicos y corológicos. Abstract The Chingaza paramo complex is located in the Colombian eastern Cordillera, in the departments of Cundinamarca, Boyacá and Meta. Most of our current knowledge about this complex comes from studies conducted near Bogotá and some focal sectors in the National Natural Park Chingaza. The goal of this study was to characterize the treeline transition zone through five elevational transects. As a result, we report 11,588 occurrences and 1382 data of functional traits for plants, edaphic fauna, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. In addition, we report occurrences from two vulnerable (VU) plant species (Hedyosmum parvifolium and Centronia brachycera) and a new endemic species (Puya loca). Preliminary analyses show natural variation in the landscape, community composition and altitudinal location of transition zones along the gradient and between locations. Using this dataset, it is possible to recognize defined transitions between high Andean forests and paramo ecosystems, and their elevation turnover through their physiognomic, floristic, ecological and chorological attributes.

Oncidium ornithorhynchum, an epiphytic orchid characterized by erect, pyramidal inflorescences and small yellow flowers, is found in the northern Andes. However, according to the protologue, the type was collected in Mexico during Humboldt and Bonpland's American expedition (1800–1804). To clarify this problem, we extracted DNA from the ancient holotype. Short-range PCRs for plastid (matK-trnK, trnH-psbA, ycf1) and nuclear (nrITS) markers were established and used to infer its phylogenetic placement with several related Central American and Andean orchid species. This provided well-supported and close relationships of the holotype with other North Andean orchids, proving that the locus classicus was confounded. Also O. sotoanum from Mexico, with which O. ornithorhynchum has often been confused, was only distantly related. © 2019 International Association for Plant Taxonomy

Following a large-scale phylogenetic study of the lichenized genus Cora (Basidiomycota: Agaricales: Hygrophoraceae), we formally describe 70 new species, honouring the seventieth birthday of David Leslie Hawksworth, one of the preeminent figures in mycology and lichenology in the past 50 years. Based on an updated phylogeny using the ITS fungal barcoding locus, we now recognize 189 taxa in a genus that until recently was considered to represent a single species; including this contribution, 92 of these are formally recognized, including five taxa based on historical names or collections that have not been sequenced. Species of Cora can be recognized by a combination of morphological (size, colour, lobe configuration, surface hairs, hymenophore size and shape), anatomical (thallus thickness, cortex structure, photobiont type, hyphal papillae), and ecogeographical features (substrate, habitat, distribution), and a keytable allowing the identification of all accepted taxa is provided. The new species are: Cora accipiter Moncada, Madrinan & Lucking spec. nov., C. applanata Moncada, Soto-Medina & Lucking spec. nov., C. arachnodavidea Moncada, Dal Forno & Lucking spec. nov., C. arborescens Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. arcabucana Moncada, C. Rodriguez & Lucking spec. nov., C. aturucoa Lucking, Moncada & C. Vargas spec. nov., C. auriculeslia Moncada, Yanez-Ayabaca & Lucking spec. nov., C. barbifera Moncada, Patino & Lucking spec. nov., C. boleslia Lucking, E. Morales & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. caliginosa Holgado, Rivas Plata & Perlmutter spec. nov., C. campestris Dal Forno, Eliasaro & Spielmann spec. nov., C. canari Nugra, Dal Forno & Lucking spec. nov., C. caraana Lucking, Martins & Lucheta spec. nov., C. casasolana Moncada, R.-E. Perez & Lucking spec. nov., C. caucensis Moncada, M. Gut. & Lucking spec. nov., C. celestinoa Moncada, Cabrera-Amaya & Lucking spec. nov., C. comaltepeca Moncada, R.-E. Perez & Herrera-Camp. spec. nov., C. corani Lucking, E. Morales & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. corelleslia Moncada, A. Suarez-Corredor & Lucking spec. nov., C. crispoleslia Moncada, J. Molina & Lucking spec. nov., C. cuzcoensis Holgado, Rivas Plata & Perlmutter spec. nov., C. dalehana Moncada, Madrinan & Lucking spec. nov., C. davibogotana Lucking, Moncada & Coca spec. nov., C. davicrinita Moncada, Madrinan & Lucking spec. nov., C. davidia Moncada, L. Vargas & Lucking spec. nov., C. dewisanti Moncada, A. Suarez-Corredor & Lucking spec. nov., C. dulcis Moncada, R.-E. Perez & Lucking spec. nov., C. elephas Lucking, Moncada & L. Vargas spec. nov., C. fuscodavidiana Lucking, Moncada & L. Vargas spec. nov., C. garagoa Simijaca, Moncada & Lucking spec. nov., C. gigantea Lucking, Moncada & Coca spec. nov., C. gomeziana Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. guajalitensis Lucking, Robayo & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. hafecesweorthensis Moncada, Lucking & R. Pelaez spec. nov., C. haledana Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. hawksworthiana Dal Forno, P. Nelson & Lucking spec. nov., C. hochesuordensis Lucking, E. Morales & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. hymenocarpa Lucking, Chaves & Lawrey spec. nov., C. imi Lucking, Chaves & Lawrey spec. nov., C. itabaiana Dal Forno, Aptroot & M. Caceres spec. nov., C. leslactuca Lucking, Moncada & R. Pelaez spec. nov., C. maxima Wilk, Dal Forno & Lucking spec. nov., C. minutula Lucking, Moncada & Yanez-Ayabaca spec. nov., C. palaeotropica Weerakoon, Aptroot & Lucking spec. nov., C. palustris Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. parabovei Dal Forno, Kukwa & Lucking spec. nov., C. paraciferrii Lucking, Moncada & J.E. Hern. spec. nov., C. paraminor Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. pastorum Moncada, Patino & Lucking spec. nov., C. pichinchensis Paredes, Jonitz & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. pikynasa J.-M. Torres, Moncada & Lucking spec. nov., C. pseudobovei Wilk, Dal Forno & Lucking spec. nov., C. pseudocorani Lucking, E. Morales & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. putumayensis L.J. Arias, Moncada & Lucking spec. nov., C. quillacinga Moncada, F. Ortega & Lucking spec. nov., C. rothesiorum Moncada, Madrinan & Lucking spec. nov., C. rubrosanguinea Nugra, Moncada & Lucking spec. nov., C. santacruzensis Dal Forno, Bungartz & Yanez-Ayabaca, spec. nov., C. schizophylloides Moncada, C. Rodriguez & Lucking spec. nov., C. smaragdina Lucking, Rivas Plata & Chaves spec. nov., C. soredavidia Dal Forno, Marcelli & Lucking spec. nov., C. subdavicrinita Moncada, J. Molina & Lucking spec. nov., C. suturifera Nugra, Besal & Lucking spec. nov., C. terrestris Dal Forno, Chaves & Lucking spec. nov., C. terricoleslia Wilk, Dal Forno & Lucking spec. nov., C. udebeceana Moncada, R. Pelaez & Lucking spec. nov., C. urceolata Moncada, Coca & Lucking spec. nov., C. verjonensis Lucking, Moncada & Dal Forno spec. nov., C. viliewoa Lucking, Chaves & Soto-Medina spec. nov., and C. yukiboa Mercado-Diaz, Moncada & Lucking spec. nov. Furthermore, the taxonomic status of the recently described or recognized species C. arachnoidea, C. aspera, C. ciferrii, and C. reticulifera, is revised.

Rapateaceae are a monophyletic family of 17 genera with greatest species diversity on the mountains and savannas of the Guiana Shield. The family has intrigued botanists because of their interesting and unusual inflorescence and leaf morphologies. The small tribe Schoenocephalieae (three genera and seven species) are regionally prized for their showy inflorescences that are harvested as everlasting flowers. Here, we report on local cultivation efforts to minimize harvesting from wild populations and examine vegetative morphology and anatomy, reporting for the first time the presence of a lateral thickening meristem in Rapateaceae. Schoenocephalieae exhibit possible adaptations to their oligotrophic, open, and fire-prone habitats such as abundant mucilage, idioblasts containing a tannin-like substance, leaf fibers, presence of epidermal silica, the formation of telmata in Guacamaya, and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

En este trabajo se describen nuevos registros de la macroflora del Cretácico Inferior (Aptiano-Albiano) de Colombia. El material estudiado fue colectado en la Cuenca del Valle Superior del Magdalena en tres localidades del departamento del Tolima, en las formaciones Yaví y Caballos. Los restos fósiles comprenden especímenes de filicopsidas y coníferas. Entre los helechos se encuentra la familia Marsileaceae, un grupo importante identificado en la flora fósil ya que se propone como el primer registro de un helecho acuático para el Cretácico Inferior en Colombia. Adicionalmente, abundantes restos de frondes estériles al menos bipinnadas con pínulas lanceoladas y venación pecopteridea son asignadas al morfogénero Cladophlebis sp. Las coníferas por su parte, presentan estructuras vegetativas asociadas a estructuras reproductivas. Los ejes con hojas más frecuentes fueron asignados al morfogénero Brachyphyllum sp. mientras que las escamas ovulíferas aisladas poseen características morfológicas de tipo Araucarites sp. (Araucariaceae). En conjunto, estos hallazgos constituyen un punto clave para entender la biogeografía y evolución de estos grupos y así mismo contribuyen a ampliar el conocimiento de la flora del Cretácico en Colombia. Descriptions of new plant macrofossils from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) of Colombia are presented. The studied material was collected in the Upper Magdalena Valley Basin in three exposing levels from the Yaví and Caballos formations. The fossil remains are associated to filicopsids and conifers. Within the ferns, the family Marsileaceae, constitutes an important group identified in the fossil flora because it is proposed as the first record of aquatic ferns for the Lower Cretaceous of Colombia. Additionally, abundant sterile bipinnate fronds with lanceolate pinnule and pecopteridea venation remains were included in the morphogenus Cladophlebis sp. The studied conifers presented vegetative structures associated to reproductive organs. The most abundant sterile fragments were included within the morphogenus Brachyphyllum sp. and ovuliferous scales of Araucarites sp. (Araucariaceae) type. Together these new findings represent a key aspect to understand the biogeography of the mentioned groups and, simultaneously, contribute to the knowledge of the Cretaceous plant fossils from Colombia. Fil: Dussán, Camila Monje. Universidad de los Andes; Colombia Fil: Martínez, Camila. Cornell University; Estados Unidos Fil: Escapa, Ignacio Hernán. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Madriñan, Santiago. Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia; Colombia

Ant-plant mutualisms are abundant in the tropics and are popular models for ecological study, but investigating the origin and evolution of such systems requires a phylogenetic framework. A common ant-plant mutualism in the Neotropics involves the genus Cecropia, a group of fast-growing pioneer trees that are important in forest regeneration. Relationships between genera in the tribe Cecropieae (Urticaceae), including Cecropia, Coussapoa, Musanga, Myrianthus, and Pourouma, are unknown and are necessary to investigate the evolutionary history of the Cecropia-ant mutualism. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of the NADH dehydrogenase (ndhF) chloroplast gene region, the 26S region of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and an exon-primed intron-crossing DNA region support the position of non-myrmecophytic African Musanga within a paraphyletic Cecropia. Neotropical Pourouma and Coussapoa are supported as sister taxa with African Myrianthus as their closest relative. Although it remains uncertain whether myrmecophytis...

Attempts at historical reconstruction are based on limited data. We are more likely to produce accurate historical reconstructions by utilizing information from diverse sources and pooling data within the relevant research communities which will allow us to build up a moving picture of the geological, climatic, and biological evolution of our planet. We suggest that dated phylogenies of plants can contribute greatly to a better understanding of Earth history. Timing of phylogenetic splits of lowland restricted lineages on either side of the Andes could provide information on the timing of montane uplift and associated climatic changes. The timing of the arrival and diversification of organisms restricted to specific climatic regimes at a particular altitude can provide information on the age at which mountains reached a height adequate for that climate once corrected for global climate changes. As a model for study, we discuss how dated phylogenies in biome rich Colombia may contribute to an understanding of geological and climatic change in north-western South America. Lowland wet forest restricted lineages separated from the mid-Miocene, whereas lineages primarily restricted to mid-altitude cloud forests began to diversify from the mid- to late-Miocene and the majority of high-altitude Páramo lineages began to diversify during the Pliocene. The age of diversification of altitudinally restricted lineages therefore gives an indication of the age at which particular altitudes may have been reached. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

The reconstruction of relationships within species-rich groups that have recently evolved in biodiversity hotspots is hampered by a lack of phylogenetically informative markers. It is also made difficult by the lack of sampling necessary to reconstruct a species-level phylogeny. We use transcriptome mining to search for markers to reconstruct a phylogeny of the amphi-Atlantic genus Renealmia L. f. (Zingiberaceae). We recover seven introns from single copy genes and use them to reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus together with a commonly used phylogenetic marker, internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA (ITS) that has previously been used to reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus. We targeted genes with low numbers of base pairs that improves sequencing success using highly degraded DNA from herbarium specimens. The use of herbarium specimens greatly increased the number of species in the study as these were readily available in historical collections. Data were obtained for 14 of the 17 African species and 54 of the 65 Neotropical species. The phylogeny was well-supported for a number of Renealmia subgroups although relationships among those clades remained poorly supported.

Summary We used a near-complete phylogeny for the angiosperm clade Viburnum to assess lineage diversification rates, and to examine possible morphological and ecological factors driving radiations. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian approaches identified shifts in diversification rate and possible links to character evolution. We inferred the ancestral environment for Viburnum and changes in diversification dynamics associated with subsequent biome shifts. Viburnum probably diversified in tropical forests of Southeast Asia in the Eocene, with three subsequent radiations in temperate clades during the Miocene. Four traits (purple fruits, extrafloral nectaries, bud scales and toothed leaves) were statistically associated with higher rates of diversification. However, we argue that these traits are unlikely to be driving diversification directly. Instead, two radiations were associated with the occupation of mountainous regions and a third with repeated shifts between colder and warmer temperate forests. Early-branching depauperate lineages imply that the rare lowland tropical species are ‘dying embers’ of once more diverse lineages; net diversification rates in Viburnum likely decreased in these tropical environments after the Oligocene. We suggest that ‘taxon pulse’ dynamics might characterize other temperate plant lineages.

A new species, Begonia solaniflora Jara is described from Colombia. This species belongs to section Casparya as evident by the fruit type, but is also easily distinguished from other Casparya species by the undivided or rarely bifid styles, the stamens erect with the anthers connivent and the nearly symmetrical leaves. We provide illustrations, photographs, a distribution map of the species and after an assessment of its conservation status we propose to place it in the Critically Endangered (CR) category. © 2017 Magnolia Press

This study examines genetic relationships among and within the South American species of Oreobolus that span the temperate and tropical Andes hotspots and represent a good case study to investigate diversification in the Páramo. A total of 197 individuals covering the distributional range of most of these species were sequenced for the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 118 individuals for three chloroplast DNA regions (trnL-F, trnH-psbA and rpl32-trnL). Haplotype networks and measures of genetic diversity were calculated at different taxonomic and geographic levels. To test for possible geographic structure, a spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA) was undertaken and species relationships were recovered using a coalescent-based approach. Results indicate complex relationships among the five South American species of Oreobolus, which are likely to have been confounded by incomplete lineage sorting, though hybridization cannot be completely discarded as an influence on genetic patterns, particularly among the northern populations of O. obtusangulus and O. cleefii. We report a case of cryptic speciation in O. obtusangulus where northern and southern populations of morphologically similar individuals are genetically distinct in all analyses. At the population level, the genetic evidence is consistent with contraction and expansion of islands of Páramo vegetation during the climatic fluctuations of the Quaternary, highlighting the role of these processes in shaping modern diversity in that ecosystem.

En las siguientes páginas se presenta un resumen de la geografía y el clima de la región de Macondo, acompañada de la determinación, el nombre científico y los usos de las plantas que García Márquez menciona en Cien años de soledad.

Chloranthaceae represent one of the oldest angiosperm lineages. Hedyosmum, with 45 species, is the only Neotropical genus in the family. The first appearance of Hedyosmum-like pollen was in the Early Cretaceous (∼112 Ma). The next unequivocal record of Hedyosmum-like pollen (Clavainaperturites microclavatus) occurred in the early Miocene. The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the fossil C. microclavatus and extant representatives of Hedyosmum. Pollen was examined using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of pollen traits of Chloranthaceae, we concluded that C. microclavatus is related to Hedyosmum. The abundant Neogene fossil evidence of C. microclavatus from South America showed that the ancestor of extant Hedyosmum migrated to tropical South America during the early Miocene and occupied initially lowlands. A comparison of the C. microclavatus fossil record from both Panama and Colombia/Venezuela suggests that...

In the epiphytic tillandsioids, Guzmania monostachia, Werauhia sanguinolenta, and Guzmania lingulata (Bromeliaceae), juvenile plants exhibit an atmospheric habit, whereas in adult plants the leaf bases overlap and form water-holding tanks. CO2 gas-exchange measurements of the whole, intact plants and δ13C values of mature leaves demonstrated that C3 photosynthesis was the principal pathway of CO2 assimilation in juveniles and adults of all three species. Nonetheless, irrespective of plant size, all three species were able to display features of facultative CAM when exposed to drought stress. The capacity for CAM was the greatest in G. monostachia, allowing drought-stressed juvenile and adult plants to exhibit net CO2 uptake at night. CAM expression was markedly lower in W. sanguinolenta, and minimal in G. lingulata. In both species, low-level CAM merely sufficed to reduce nocturnal respiratory net loss of CO2. δ13C values were generally less negative in juveniles than in adult plants, probably indicating increased diffusional limitation of CO2 uptake in juveniles.

Phylogenetic hypotheses for the large cosmopolitan genus Hypericum (St. John's wort) have previously been based on morphology, and molecular studies have thus far included only a few species. In this study, we used 360 sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) for 206 species representing Hypericum (incl. Triadenum and Thornea) and three other genera of Hypericaceae to generate an explicit phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus using parsimony and model-based methods. The results indicate that the small genus Triadenum is nested in a clade within Hypericum containing most of the New World species. Sister to Hypericum is Thornea from Central America. Within Hypericum, three large clades and two smaller grades were found; these are based on their general morphology, especially characters used previously in taxonomy of the genus. Relative to the most recent classification, around 60% of the sections of Hypericum were monophyletic. We used a Bayesian approach to reconstruct ancestral states of selected morphological characters, which resulted in recognition of characters that support major clades within the genus and a revised interpretation of morphological evolution in Hypericum. The shrubby habit represents the plesiomorphic state from which herbs evolved several times. Arborescent species have radiated convergently in high-elevation habitats in tropical Africa and South America.

Diplostephium comprises 111 neotropical species that live in high elevation habitats from Costa Rica to Chile. Primarily Andean, the genus seems to have undergone an adaptive radiation indicated by its high number of species, broad morphological variation, and diversification primarily in an ecosystem (paramo) that formed within the last 2–5 my. Internal transcriber spacer (ITS) sequences and several chloroplast markers, rpoB, rpoC1, and psbA-trnH were sequenced in order to infer a preliminary phylogeny of the genus. The chloroplast regions showed no significant variation within the genus. New ITS data were therefore analyzed together with published sequences for generating a topology. Results suggest that Diplostephium and other South American genera comprise a polytomy within which a previously described North American clade is nested. Monophyly of Diplostephium was neither supported nor rejected, but the formation of a main crown clade using different methods of analysis suggests that at least a good portion of the genus is monophyletic. A Shimodaira-Hasegawa test comparing the topology obtained and a constrained one forcing Diplostephium to be monophyletic showed no significant difference between them. Monophyly of some of the previously proposed series of the genus was not supported by the phylogenetic tree. Morphological character mapping results suggest that the high Andean forest tree species are derived from shrubby paramo-puna ancestors, contradicting previous hypotheses about morphological evolution of the genus and documenting an atypical trend of downslope diversification in paramo plants.

Premise of the study The Andean highlands are a hotspot of domestication, yet our understanding of the origins of early Andean agriculture remains fragmentary. Key questions of where, when, how many times, and from what progenitors many Andean crops were domesticated remain unanswered. The Andean lupine crop tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) is a regionally important pulse crop with exceptionally high seed protein and oil content and is the focus of modern breeding efforts, but its origins remain obscure. Methods A large genome-wide DNA polymorphism data set was generated using nextRADseq to infer relationships among more than 200 accessions of Andean Lupinus species, including 24 accessions of L. mutabilis and close relatives. Phylogenetic and demographic analyses were used to identify the likely progenitor of tarwi and elucidate the area and timing of domestication in combination with archaeological evidence. Key results We infer that tarwi was domesticated once in northern Peru, most likely in the Cajamarca region within, or adjacent to the extant distribution of L. piurensis, which is the most likely wild progenitor. Demographic analyses suggest that tarwi split from L. piurensis around 2600 BP and suffered a classical domestication bottleneck. The earliest unequivocal archaeological evidence of domesticated tarwi seeds is from the Mantaro Valley, central Peru ca. 1800 BP. Conclusions A single origin of tarwi from L. piurensis in northern Peru provides a robust working hypothesis for the domestication of this regionally important crop and is one of the first clear-cut examples of a crop originating in the highlands of northern Peru.

Common beans are an important food legume faced with a series of abiotic stresses the most severe of which is drought. The crop is interesting as a model for the analysis of gene phylogenies due to its domestication process, race structure, and origins in a group of wild common beans found along the South American Andes and the region of Mesoamerica. Meanwhile, the DREB2 transcription factors have been implicated in controlling non-ABA dependent responses to drought stress. With this in mind our objective was to study in depth the genetic diversity for two DREB2 genes as possible candidates for association with drought tolerance through a gene phylogenetic analysis. In this genetic diversity assessment, we analyzed nucleotide diversity at the two candidate genes Dreb2A and Dreb2B, in partial core collections of 104 wild and 297 cultivated common beans with a total of 401 common bean genotypes from world-wide germplasm analyzed. Our wild population sample covered a range of semi-mesic to very dry habitats, while our cultivated samples presented a wide spectrum of low to high drought tolerance. Both genes showed very different patterns of nucleotide variation. Dreb2B exhibited very low nucleotide diversity relative to neutral reference loci previously surveyed in these populations. This suggests that strong purifying selection has been acting on this gene. In contrast, Dreb2A exhibited higher levels of nucleotide diversity, which is indicative of adaptive selection and population expansion. These patterns were more distinct in wild compared to cultivated common beans. These approximations suggested the importance of Dreb2 genes in the context of drought tolerance, and constitute the first steps towards an association study between genetic polymorphism of this gene family and variation in drought tolerance traits. We discuss the utility of allele mining in the DREB gene family for the discovery of new drought tolerance traits from wild common bean.

Drimys granadensis L.f., a native plant from Colombia, has been included in the Vademecum de Plantas Medicinales de Colombia by the Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, due to its widespread use in the folk medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments. The chemical composition of the essential oil of Drimys granadensis obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves was analyzed by GC and GC/MS analyses. A total of 85 components were identified, with the major compounds germacrene D (1, 14.7%), sclarene (9.5%), a-cadinol (7.3%), longiborneol acetate (2, 6.3%), drimenol (4.2%), (Z)-β-ocimene (3, 4.2%), a-pinene (4, 3.2%), and β-elemene (5, 2.7%). The essential oil was also tested against eight bacteria using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. Most of the Gram-positive bacteria tested were susceptible to the D. granadensis essential oil, while the Gram-negative bacteria tested were not.

The American tropics are home to about 10% of Earth's species and several biodiversity hotspots of global importance for conservation ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]), including high-elevation tropical alpine ecosystems (paramos) and Andean forests. These ecosystems deliver numerous services, such as providing

Chase, M. W., Cowan, R. S., Hollingsworth, P. M., van den Berg, C., Madrinan, S., Petersen, G., Seberg, O., Jorgsensen, T., Cameron, K. M., Carine, M., Pedersen, N., Hedderson, T. A. J., Conrad, F., Salazar, G. A., Richardson, J. E., Hollingsworth, M. L., Barraclough, T. G., Kelly, L., Wilkinson, M. (2007). A proposal for a standardised protocol to barcode all land plants. Taxon, 56, (2), 295-299.

Se describe una nueva especie de Puya de los páramos cercanos a Bogotá, Colombia. Puya loca difiere de todas las especies conocidas del género Puya por el envés de sus brácteas y sépalos ferrugíneo-tomentosos y pétalos de color púrpura intenso. Esta nueva especie forma masas densas de rosetas en acantilados rocosos. Hasta el momento es endémica de pequeños parches aislados de páramos al noreste de Bogotá, en el complejo de páramos de Chingaza. La nueva especie se compara con otras que tienen flores de color similar y crecen en los alrededores de Bogotá y en otras áreas. A new species of Puya from the páramos in the vicinity of Bogotá, Colombia, is described. Puya loca differs from all known species of the genus Puya by its ferrugineo-tomentose bracts and sepals abaxially, and deep-purple colored petals. It is, until now, endemic to small isolated patches of páramos North-East of Bogotá, in the Chingaza Páramo Complex. It forms dense mats of rosettes on rocky cliffs. The new species is compared to other known species from the surroundings of Bogotá, as well as to species with similar colored flowers from other regions.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Documented fossil floras in the neotropics are sparse, yet their records provide evidence on the spatial and temporal occurrence of taxa, allowing for testing of biogeographical and diversification scenarios on individual lineages. A new fossil Piper from the Late Cretaceous of Colombia is described here, and its importance for assessing diversification patterns in the genus is addressed. METHODS Leaf architecture of 32 fossil leaf compressions from the Guaduas Formation was compared with that of 294 extant angiosperm species. The phylogenetic position of the fossil named Piper margaritae sp. nov. was established based on leaf traits and a molecular scaffold of Piper. The age of the fossil was independently used as a calibration point for divergence time estimations. KEY RESULTS Natural affinities of P. margaritae to the Schilleria clade of Piper indicate that the genus occurred in tropical America by the Late Cretaceous. Estimates of age divergence and lineage accumulation reveal that most of the extant diversity of the genus accrued during the last ∼30 Myr. CONCLUSIONS The recent radiation of Piper is coeval with both the Andean uplift and the emergence of Central America, which have been proposed as important drivers of diversity. This pattern could exemplify a recurrent theme among many neotropical plant lineages.

Dated molecular phylogenies of broadly distributed lineages can help to compare patterns of diversification in different parts of the world. An explanation for greater Neotropical diversity compared to other parts of the tropics is that it was an accident of the Andean orogeny. Using dated phylogenies, of chloroplast ndhF and nuclear DNA WRKY sequence datasets, generated using BEAST we demonstrate that the diversification of the genera Theobroma and Herrania occurred from 12.7 (11.6-14.9 [95% HPD]) million years ago (Ma) and thus coincided with Andean uplift from the mid-Miocene and that this lineage had a faster diversification rate than other major clades in Malvaceae. We also demonstrate that Theobroma cacao, the source of chocolate, diverged from its most recent common ancestor 9.9 (7.7-12.9 [95% HPD]) Ma, in the mid-to late-Miocene, suggesting that this economically important species has had ample time to generate significant within-species genetic diversity that is useful information for a developing chocolate industry. In addition, we address questions related to the latitudinal gradient in species diversity within Malvaceae. A faster diversification rate is an explanation for the greater species diversity at lower latitudes. Alternatively, tropical conditions may have existed for longer and occupied greater areas than temperate ones meaning that tropical lineages have had more time and space in which to diversify. Our dated molecular phylogeny of Malvaceae demonstrated that at least one temperate lineage within the family diverged from tropical ancestors then diversified at a rate comparable with many tropical lineages in the family. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Malvaceae are more species rich in the tropics because tropical lineages within the family have existed for longer and occupied more space than temperate ones, and not because of differences in diversification rate. © 2015 Richardson, Whitlock, Meerow and Madriñán.