| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section / ASPT Burleigh, J. Gordon [1], Mathews, Sarah [2]. Supermatrix analyses place Gnetales as sister to all conifers. Only about 6% of extant gymnosperms have been included in any molecular analysis of seed plant relationships, yet sequences from approximately 70% are available in public databases. We assembled a phylogenetic supermatrix containing over 2.7 million nucleotides from 688 gymnosperms. Due to sampling biases in GenBank, 95.25% of the 58 million cells in the supermatrix are empty. Nonetheless, analyses of the supermatrix strongly support the monophyly of conifers. When subsets of the supermatrix are analyzed, deleting taxa but not characters, conifer monophyly receives reduced support or alternative topologies are supported. This finding provides a fresh perspective on one of the most enigmatic questions in plant evolutionary history. Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, 2024 W. Main Street, Suite A200, Durham, NC, 27705, USA 2 - Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University Herbaria, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
Keywords: gymnosperms conifer monophyly Gnetales supermatrix analyses.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections Session: CP42 Location: Boulevard C/Hilton Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 Time: 8:30 AM Number: CP42003 Abstract ID:1719 |