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Evolution of Lecythidaceae with an emphasis on the circumscription of neotropical genera: information from combined ndhF and trnL-F sequence data¹

Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York 10458 USA; Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 115, Republic of China; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0334 USA; Laboratory for Molecular Systematics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE 104–05, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Phanerogamic Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

ABSTRACT

The Lecythidaceae comprise a pantropical family best known for the edible seeds of the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) and the cannon-ball tree (Couroupita guianensis), which is planted as a botanical curiosity in subtropical and tropical gardens. In addition, species of the family are often among the most common in neotropical forests, especially in the Amazon Basin. The Brazil nut family is diverse and abundant in the Amazon and is considered to be an indicator of undisturbed or scarcely disturbed lowland forests; thus, what is learned about its evolution, ecology, and biogeography may suggest similar patterns for other Amazonian tree families. We used combined data sets derived from the ndhF and trnL-F genes to elucidate relationships of genera in both the Old and New Worlds that have been associated with Lecythidaceae. Our molecular tree agrees with the recognition of Napoleonaeaceae and Scytopetalaceae. Within the Lecythidaceae, there is molecular support for recognizing three subfamilies: Foetidioideae, Planchonioideae, and Lecythidoideae. We then focused on genera of the Lecythidoideae and found support for recognizing Allantoma (when the actinomorphic-flowered species of Cariniana are included in it), Grias, Gustavia, Corythophora, Couratari, and Couroupita, but conclude that Cariniana, Lecythis, and Eschweilera are not monoyphyletic. Because the position of the monotypic Bertholletia excelsa in relation to the other zygomorphic-flowered genera is not resolved, we are not able to comment on its generic relationships.

Key Words: Bertholletia excelsa • Brazil nut • Lecythidaceae • ndhF • phylogeny • trnL-F • tropical trees

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