Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of the Physaloids (Solanaceae)

DEANNA ROCÍO

Boulder

Simposio; Brown Bag Fall 2017; 2017

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado at Boulder

During my talk, I will present part of the results of my doctorate in phylogenetics, cytogenetics and taxonomy of a neotropical genus of Solanaceae (Deprea) and how this research has led to my broader studies of the evolution of the entire tribe Physalideae. Most of these taxa are called physaloids because they present an inflated fruiting calyx around the fruit, similar to the tomatillo (Physalis). Although this trait is hypothesized as a key innovation, its function and ancestry are unclear. So, my postdoctoral project seeks to resolve the evolutionary history of physaloids, to identify the origin(s) of the inflated calyx, and to test the influence of this trait on rates of speciation.