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Title: Molecular Systematics of Threatened Seed Plant Species Endemic in the Caribbean Islands

Author
item OLEAS, NORA - Florida International University
item JESTROW, BRETT - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
item CALONJE, MICHAEL - Montgomery Botanical Center
item PEGUERO, BRÍGIDO - National Botanical Garden
item JIMÉNEZ, FRANCISCO - National Botanical Garden
item RODRÍGUEZ-PEÑA, ROSA - Florida International University
item OVIEDO, RAMONA - Institute Of Ecology And Systematics
item SANTIAGO-VALENTÍN, EUGENIO - Botanical Garden, Puerto Rico
item Meerow, Alan
item ABDO, MELISSA - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
item MAUNDER, MICHAEL - United Arab Emirates
item GRIFFITH, PATRICK - Montgomery Botanical Center
item FRANCISCO-ORTEGA, JAVIER - Florida International University

Submitted to: Botanical Review
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2012
Publication Date: 8/27/2013
Citation: Oleas, N., Jestrow, B., Calonje, M., Peguero, B., Jiménez, F., Rodríguez-Peña, R., Oviedo, R., Santiago-Valentín, E., Meerow, A.W., Abdo, M., Maunder, M., Griffith, P., Francisco-Ortega, J. 2013. Molecular Systematics of Threatened Seed Plant Species Endemic in the Caribbean Islands. Botanical Review. DOI: doi:10.1007/s12229-013-9130-y.

Interpretive Summary: A review of available Caribbean Island red-list species (Critically Endangered and Endangered categories based on the IUCN guidelines is presented. A database of at least 1,300 endemic species that are either Critically Endangered or Endangered sensu IUCN was created, and their relationships based on DNA sequences analyzed. There are molecular systematic studies available for 112 of them. Six of these species (in six genera) are the only members of early divergent lineages that are most closely related to groups composed of a large number of clades. Seven of the species (in seven genera) belong to groups that have a small number of taxa but are most closely related to species/genus-rich groups. Ten of the species (in six genera) are most closely related to taxa restricted to South America or nested in groups endemic to this region. Fifty-seven of the species (in 35 genera) are most closely related to Caribbean Island endemics species. Four of the species belong to groups that are linked to groups from Africa.

Technical Abstract: A review of available Caribbean Island red-lists species (CR and EN categories based on the IUCN guidelines from 2001, and E category established according to the IUCN guidelines from 1980) is presented. A database of at least 1,300 endemic species that are either Critically Endangered or Endangered sensu IUCN was created. There are molecular systematic studies available for 112 of them. Six of these species (in six genera) are the only members of early divergent lineages that are sister to groups composed of a large number of clades. Seven of the species (in seven genera) belong to clades that have a small number of taxa but are sister to species/genus-rich clades. Ten of the species (in six genera) are sister to taxa restricted to South America or nested in clades endemic to this region. Fifty-seven of the species (in 35 genera) are sister to Caribbean Island endemics species. Four of the species belong to clades that are sister to clades from Africa. Erigeron belliastroides is sister to the Galapagos genus Darwiniothamnus. The phylogenetic placement of three of the threatened species resulted in changes in their taxonomic placement; they belong to polyphyletic or paraphyletic genera.