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Molecular Systematics of Threatened Seed Plant Species Endemic in the Caribbean Islands

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Abstract

A review of available Caribbean Island red-lists species (CR and EN categories based on the IUCN guidelines from 2001, and E category established according to the IUCN guidelines from 1980) is presented. A database of over 1,300 endemic species that are either Critically Endangered or Endangered sensu IUCN was created. There are molecular systematic studies available for 112 of them. Six of these species (in six genera) are the only members of early divergent lineages that are sister to groups composed of a large number of clades. Seven of the species (in seven genera) belong to clades that have a small number of taxa but are sister to species/genus-rich clades. Ten of the species (in six genera) are sister to taxa restricted to South America or nested in clades endemic to this region. Fifty-seven of the species (in 35 genera) are sister to Caribbean Island endemic species. Erigeron belliastroides, an Endangered (EN) Cuban endemic, is sister to the Galapagos genus Darwiniothamnus. The phylogenetic placement of four of the threatened species resulted in changes in their taxonomic placement; they belong to polyphyletic or paraphyletic genera.

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Acknowledgments

We dedicate this paper to Dr. Victoria Sosa in recognition for her contributions to the advancement of molecular systematics in Latin America. Nora Oleas thanks Fairchild Tropical Garden and Florida International University for their support to attend the “10th Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica”. We are grateful to Dr. Fabián Michelangeli and Prof. Richard Olsmtead for their insights concerning taxonomy of the Melastomataceae and Bignoniaceae, respectively. Thanks are due Dr. Larry Noblick and Dr. Scott Zona for their help on the biogeography of Caribbean palms, and to Dr. Johan Rova for helping in tracking taxonomic literature pertinent to Rondeletia. Dr. Brian Boom and an anonymous referee critically reviewed the manuscript. This is contribution 209 from the Tropical Biology Program of Florida International University.

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Oleas, N., Jestrow, B., Calonje, M. et al. Molecular Systematics of Threatened Seed Plant Species Endemic in the Caribbean Islands. Bot. Rev. 79, 528–541 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-013-9130-y

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