Molecular Phylogenetic Studies of Caribbean Palms (Arecaceae) and Their Relationships to Biogeography and Conservation

摘要: The Caribbean Islands are one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots, remarkable for its biological richness and high level threat to flora fauna. palms (family Arecaceae) well represented in West Indies, with 21 genera (three endemic) 135 species (121 endemic). We provide an overview phylogenetic knowledge Indian Palms, including their relationships within a plastid DNA-based phylogeny Arecaceae. present new data used reconstruct tribe Cryosophileae, four found based on partial sequences low-copy nuclear genes encoding phosphoribulokinase (PRK) subunit 2 RNA polymerase II (RPB2). Recently published studies Cocoseae, PRK sequences, tribes Cyclospatheae Geonomateae, RPB2 also information palms. Results these analyses show many independent origins Palm flora. These reflect complex envolutionary history Indies no single biogeographical pattern emerges day distributions suggest complicated evolutionary interchange among islands, as between surrounding continents. identified six palm lineages that deserve conservation priority. Species-level phylogenies needed Copernicia, Sabal, Roystonea before we can build more complete understanding origin diversification