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(American Journal of Botany. 2009;96:1020-1040.) doi: 10.3732/ajb.0800219 © 2009 Botanical Society of America, Inc. |
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Systematics and Phytogeography |
2 The City University of New York, Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, New York 10460 USA 3 The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics Studies, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York 10458-5126 USA
ABSTRACT
The Andes are a cradle of orchid evolution, but most phylogenetic studies of Orchidaceae in this biodiversity hotspot have dealt with epiphytic epidendroid lineages. Here we present a study on neotropical, terrestrial, orchidoid taxa of Prescottiinae s.l. (8 genera, 
100 species), which are adapted to some of the highest elevation habitats on earth that support orchids. They are currently included within an expanded concept of Cranichidinae in the tribe Cranichideae, but DNA sequence data show that neither Prescottiinae s.l. nor Cranichidinae s.s. are monophyletic. Prescottiinae s.l. consist of two strongly supported lineages: the Altensteinia and Prescottia clades, which have closer affinities to Spiranthinae than to Cranichidinae. The Prescottia clade comprises two well-supported subclades, one including most sampled species of Prescottia and a second one with Pseudocranichis thysanochila sister to Prescottia tubulosa. As a group, they are sister to Spiranthinae. Sister to this pair is the Altensteinia clade comprised of six genera, whose intergeneric relationships are well resolved. Finally, Cranichidinae s.s. is sister to all three of these clades. Morphological and ecological features distinguishing the major groups are discussed, as are potential synapomorphies to define them. The reconstructed phylogeny indicates that the classification of Cranichideae needs to be reexamined.
Key Words: Cranichideae • Cranichidinae • molecular phylogenetics • Orchidaceae • Prescottiinae • Spiranthinae • terrestrial orchids
Received for publication 1 July 2008. Accepted for publication 23 December 2008.
FOOTNOTES
1 The authors thank S. A. Mori, G. A. Romero, and anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript; K. Wurdack and S. Pell for guidance and assistance in the laboratory; M. Weigend, J. Portilla, S. Merz, E. Christenson, L. Suin, E. Sánchez, and G. A. Romero for sending material and providing information; and H. Cross, T. Osmundson, and F. Michelangelli for help with data analyses. This work was completed as part of the dissertation of A.A.-M. at the City University of New York and New York Botanical Garden. Funding was provided by Fundación para la Ciencia y Tecnología del Ecuador (FUNDACYT), New York Botanical Garden, American Orchid Society: Furniss Foundation, Garden Club of America, Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Foundation, Explorers’ Club, International Association for Plant Taxonomy, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Botanical Society of America, O’Higgins Foundation, City University of New York: Graduate Center, Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas, and Gonzalo Álvarez-Montalvo.
4 Author for correspondence (e-mail: aidaalvarezmolina{at}gmail.com); present address: Missouri Botanical Garden, Ecuador Program; Av. Río Coca E6-115 & Isla Fernandina; P.O. Box 17-21-1787, Quito, Ecuador
5 Present address: Wisconsin State Herbarium; Departament of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1381 USA (e-mail: kmcameron{at}wisc.edu)
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