Oliveira 2015 (Conference Paper) Nidularioid

Phylogeny of Nidularioid Complex (Bromelioideae) based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequences and morphological data

Author(s):—F. Oliveira Mª Cordeiro & G.F.A. Melo-de-Pinna in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—Bromeliaceae (Poales) is one of the most important Neotropical epiphyte families. Although this family is considered a monophyletic group, the relationship between some genera is confusing, especially in Bromelioideae. In this subfamily, the Nidulariod complex, which comprises the genera Nidularium Lem., Wittrockia Lindm., Canistropsis (Mez) Leme, Canistrum E. Morren, Neoregelia L.B.Sm. and Edmundoa Leme, presentsa confusing circumscription. A recent phylogeny shows that some of these genera are not even monophyletic in their current circumscription. Thus, this work aims to provide morphological and anatomical characters of the vegetative and reproductive organs that can help understanding of the relationship between these, and to propose a new phylogeny based on molecular and morphological data. We sampled 28 species, including all genera of the Nidularioid Complex plus Aechmea, and Quesnelia Gaudich. as outgroups. DNA sequences of atpB-rbcL spacer, trnL-trnF spacer, MatK and PhyC were obtained from GenBank and aligned with Muscle. We also described 96 characters from the morphological and anatomical data. Bayesian analysis was made withMr. Bayes using combined molecular and morphological data and the resulting phylogeny was summarized in a consensus tree, rooted in Aechmea bromeliifolia. For morphological ancestral state reconstruction, we used maximum parsimony method in Mesquite. Our analysis shows that no genera in the Nidularioid complex are monophyletic in their current circumscription. It also shows that the Nidularioid clade comprises Nidularium,Neoregelia, Wittrockia and Edmundoa excluding Canistrum. On the other hand, Canistrum appears in our analyses as sister group of Aechmea, sharing the presence of asymmetric sepals. Aechmea and Quesneliaappears as the sister group of Nidularioide clade. Our results also show that Aechmea is not a monophyleticgroup, as described by other studies. The Nidularioid complex may be considered monophyletic if we excludeCanistrum, corroborating what previous taxonomic studies have suggested. In this case, the Nidularioid clade is supported morphologically by the absence of isolated extra-fascicular fibrous strands in sheath mesophyll. Another interesting feature is the presence of elongated wing cells in paradermical view of trichomes in species of the Nidulariod complex s.l. (including Canistrum), that are rounded in the other genera studied.

Keywords:—Nidularioid Complex; Phylogeny; Morphological Data.