New insights into the phylogenetic relationships, character evolution, and phytogeographic patterns of Calceolaria (Calceolariaceae)

Abstract

Biogeographical patterns and diversification processes in Andean and Patagonian flora are not yet well understood. Calceolaria is a highly diversified genus of these areas, representing one of the most specialized plant-pollinator systems because flowers produce nonvolatile oils, a very unusual floral reward. Phylogenetic analyses with molecular (ITS and matK) and morphological characters from 103 Calceolaria species were conducted to examine relationships, to understand biogeographic patterns, and to detect evolutionary patterns of floral and ecological characters. Total evidence analysis retrieved three major clades, which strongly correspond to the three previously recognized subgenera, although only subgenus Rosula was retrieved as a monophyletic group. A single historical event explains the expansion from the southern to central Andes, while different parallel evolutionary lines show a northward expansion from the central to northern Andes across the Huancabamba Deflection, an important geographical barrier in northern Peru. Polyploidy, acquisition of elaiophores, and a nototribic pollination mechanism are key aspects of the evolutionary history of Calceolaria. Pollination interactions were more frequently established with Centris than with Chalepogenus oil-collecting bee species. The repeated loss of the oil gland and shifts to pollen as the only reward suggest an evolutionary tendency from highly to moderately specialized pollination systems.

Distribution, Abundance and Molecular Analysis of Genus Barbadocladius Cranston & Krosch (Diptera, Chironomidae) in Tropical, High Altitude Andean Streams and Rivers

“…These climatic fluctuations, together with the complex topography, presumably resulted in isolation of highland areas that favored high levels of endemism (Henning et al 2011, Rivera et al 2011. Furthermore, these conditions provided geographical barriers to dispersion for many taxa, such that the Huancabamba Depression corresponds to the northern or southern limit of modern distribution of many species including frogs (Duellman & Pramuk 1999), mantids (Rivera et al 2011) and plants (Cosacov et al 2009, Weigend et al 2010. This could also be the case for Barbadocladius in our study.…”

Las pupas de Podonominae (Diptera: Chironomidae) de los ríos tropicales Altoandinos

“…Las actuales elevaciones y patrones de drenaje en la Depresión de Huancabamba fueron establecidas durante el Pleistoceno periodo durante el cual se sucedieron períodos más fríos y secos durante las fases glaciales intercalados con otros más cálidos y húmedos durante las fases interglaciares (Gansser, 1973). Estas fuertes fluctuaciones climáticas junto con la compleja topografía, presumiblemente resultaron en una barrera natural para la dispersión de diversos grupos taxonómicos y en un área de aislamiento que favoreció altos niveles de endemismos (Duellman & Pramuk, 1999;Cosacov, Sérsic, Sosa, De-Nova, Nylinder, & Cocucci, 2009;Weigend, Gottschling, Hilgeri, & Nürk, 2010). Distribuciones similares se han reportado para otros géneros de Chironomidae como Barbadocladius (Orthocladiinae) con el cual frecuentemente comparte hábitat (Saether & Cranston, 2012;Krosch & Cranston, 2013).…”

Pollination ecology and breeding system of two Calceolaria species in Chile

“…Despite that Calceolaria species are one of the most diverse genus in Chile (Fuentes et al 1995), their biology, systematics, and evolution have been recently the subject of detailed research (Molau 1988;Sérsic 2004;Cosacov et al 2009). Consequently, although this work represents a preliminary view of the breeding system and pollination ecology of Chilean Calceolaria species, this can be a starting point in the study of ecology and even evolution (e.g., reproductive barriers to speciation) of the genus.…”