Evidence of transoceanic dispersion of the genus Vanilla based on plastid DNA phylogenetic analysis

Biodiversity and Evolution in the Vanilla Genus

“…The genetic differentiation between New World and Old World species observed would therefore be a consequence of the further separation of the continents. Our recent molecular phylogeny using chloroplastic psaB, psbB, psbC, and rbcL regions (Bouetard et al, 2010) supported the hypothesis of an American origin of the genus (figure 1). However, the recent discovery of a fossilized orchid pollinaria (20 Mya) (Ramirez et al, 2007) allowed the dating of Vanilloidae sub family at 72 Mya, well after the separation of Gondwana which questions the hypothesis of a vicariate evolution of the Vanilla genus (Bouetard et al, 2010).…”

“…Our recent molecular phylogeny using chloroplastic psaB, psbB, psbC, and rbcL regions (Bouetard et al, 2010) supported the hypothesis of an American origin of the genus (figure 1). However, the recent discovery of a fossilized orchid pollinaria (20 Mya) (Ramirez et al, 2007) allowed the dating of Vanilloidae sub family at 72 Mya, well after the separation of Gondwana which questions the hypothesis of a vicariate evolution of the Vanilla genus (Bouetard et al, 2010). Transoceanic dispersion appears more credible and would have been implied at least three times in the evolution of the Vanilla genus ( figure 1).…”

“…Transoceanic dispersion appears more credible and would have been implied at least three times in the evolution of the Vanilla genus ( figure 1). This was demonstrated by dating a Vanilla molecular phylogeny, testing these two extreme evolutionary scenarios (vicariate versus transoceanic dispersion) (Bouetard et al, 2010) (figure 1). The Gondwanan dispersion scenario used 95 Mya as prior on the NW/OW node (the minimum age assumption for the break-up of Gondwana), whereas the NW/OW transoceanic dispersion scenario used 71 Mya as prior on the Vanilloidae node (a date estimated from fossil orchid pollinaria dating (Ramirez et al, 2007)) (figure 1).…”

Evolution along the crassulacean acid metabolism continuum

“…Similarly, an incomplete molecular phylogeny has been established for about two-thirds of species within the Agavaceae (Good-Avila et al 2006); however, most of those species are expected to perform CAM. A detailed molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of the Vanilloideae with emphasis on the genus Vanilla, which surveyed 47 of the 110 different species, has also been constructed using four plastid genes (Bouetard et al 2010). However, no attempt was made in this study to map the occurrence of CAM.…”

A new vanilla species from Costa Rica closely related to V. planifolia (Orchidaceae)

“…ex Miller (Miller 1754), belongs to the subfamily Vanilloideae, tribe Vanillinae (Cameron 2010). It is an ancient group of tropical orchids that originated in America about 70 million years ago and differentiated in America, Africa and Asia (Ramírez et al 2007;Bouétard et al 2010). The classification of the species of Vanilla was recently reviewed by Soto Arenas & Cribb (2010), who divided the genus into two subgenera, Vanilla and Xanata Soto Arenas & P.J.Cribb, and further split the subgenus Xanata into two sections Xanata and Tethya Soto Arenas & P.J.Cribb.…”