Aglaia fellii W.E.Cooper & Joyce (Meliaceae), a new species for Cape York Peninsula

Aglaia fellii W.E.Cooper & Joyce (Meliaceae) is described from restricted areas of rainforest on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. Given the unusual morphological features of the species, including solitary flowers and fruits, a molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted to confirm its placement within Aglaia prior to formal description. All Australian Aglaia species and eight Australian representa- tives of closely allied Meliaceae genera were sampled, and 353 nuclear loci were sequenced. Maximum likelihood analysis of these loci retrieved A. fellii as nested within Aglaia, most closely related to A. cooper- ae and A. monticola. This validates its assignment to Aglaia, making it the only Aglaia species with mostly solitary flowers (rarely 3- or 4-flowered) and solitary fruits. A full taxonomic description of Aglaia fellii and notes on its habitat are provided

Phylogenomics and the rise of the angiosperms

Angiosperms are the cornerstone of most terrestrial ecosystems and human livelihoods1,2. A robust understanding of angiosperm evolution is required to explain their rise to ecological dominance. So far, the angiosperm tree of life has been determined primarily by means of analyses of the plastid genome3,4. Many studies have drawn on this foundational work, such as classification and first insights into angiosperm diversification since their Mesozoic origins5,6,7. However, the limited and biased sampling of both taxa and genomes undermines confidence in the tree and its implications. Here, we build the tree of life for almost 8,000 (about 60%) angiosperm genera using a standardized set of 353 nuclear genes8. This 15-fold increase in genus-level sampling relative to comparable nuclear studies9 provides a critical test of earlier results and brings notable change to key groups, especially in rosids, while substantiating many previously predicted relationships. Scaling this tree to time using 200 fossils, we discovered that early angiosperm evolution was characterized by high gene tree conflict and explosive diversification, giving rise to more than 80% of extant angiosperm orders. Steady diversification ensued through the remaining Mesozoic Era until rates resurged in the Cenozoic Era, concurrent with decreasing global temperatures and tightly linked with gene tree conflict. Taken together, our extensive sampling combined with advanced phylogenomic methods shows the deep history and full complexity in the evolution of a megadiverse clade

Elaeocarpus carbinensis J.N.Gagul & Crayn (Elaeocarpaceae), a new species endemic to the Mt Carbine Tableland of northeast Queensland, Australia

Gagul, J.N., Simpson, L. & Crayn, D.M. (2018). Elaeocarpus carbinensis J.N.Gagul & Crayn (Elaeocarpaceae), a new species endemic to the Mt Carbine Tableland of northeast Queensland, Australia. Austrobaileya 10(2): 247 – 259. Elaeocarpus carbinensis from montane areas of the Wet Tropics bioregion of northeast Queensland, Australia is described and compared with similar species. Notes on habitat, distribution, and relationships, and a key to allied large-fruited species is provided. The conservation outlook for the species was determined with environmental niche modelling analyses using a range of carbon dioxide emission scenarios. The results indicate that by the year 2080, suitable climate for the species will have disappeared from its current range. Thus, an IUCN Red List category of Vulnerable under criterion 'restricted distribution, and plausibility and immediacy of threat' is recommended

Generic concepts in Styphelieae: resolving the limits of Leucopogon

Sequence data for the chloroplast-encoded atpβrbcL intergenic spacer were assembled for 43 representatives of Leucopogon R.Br., the largest genus of Epacridaceae. Cladistic analysis rooted on Prionotes, and including representatives of the sister Tribe Epacrideae and a range of other Styphelieae, revealed Leucopogon in all senses to be polyphyletic. There is strong support for the placement of L. pluriloculatus (Leucopogon E) with Lissanthe, but the monophyly of the segregates Leucopogon A, C and D finds no support. Leucopogon hookeri and L. maccraei cluster strongly with Cyathodesand Leptecophylla, whereas the remainder of Leucopogon A form a separate well-supported clade. Two clades defined by base chromosome numbers of x 2= 6 and x 2 = 4 are resolved, the former including all representatives assigned to 'Gynoconus' (Leucopogon C) and some of 'Axonanthus' (Leucopogon D), the latter comprising the remainder of 'Axonanthus' as well as Styphelia viridis, Astroloma ciliatum and A. humifusum. The relationship of the monotypic Croninia (Leucopogon B) to these last two clades is unresolved. A data base of 41 non-molecular characters supported the association of L. pluriloculatus, L. hookeri and L. maccraei with Cyathodes, Leptecophylla and Lissanthe, and also resolved a clade containing the remaining Leucopogon A. When superimposed on the molecular tree, many non-molecular characters appeared homoplastic. However, data for chromosome number and pollen morphology were highly congruent with the molecular tree. Present generic concepts are clearly inadequate. The analysis indicates that L. hookeri and L. maccraei should be removed from Leucopogon s.str. to a new genus; the remainder of Leucopogon A constitute Leucopogon s.str. A sterile anther appendage characterises most species of Leucopogon s.str., but is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for membership. The genus can only be circumscribed using a combination of morphological features. Further data and more intensive sampling are needed before the limits of a more satisfactory set of genera for the remaining segregates can be defined

Phylogenetic classification of Ericaceae: molecular and morphological evidence

A new classification of Ericaceae is presented based on phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data, morphology, anatomy, and embryology. Eight subfamilies and 20 tribes are recognized. In this classification Epacridaceae are included as Styphelioideae and Empetraceae as tribe Empetreae within the Ericoideae. The herbaceous taxa previously recognized as Pyrolaceae and Monotropaceae by some authors are also included within Ericaceae, in the subfamily Monotropoideae. A key, morphological descriptions, and representative images are provided for all named groups. Two new combinations inKalmia (K. buxifolia andK. procumbens) are made, and three new taxa are described: Oligarrheneae, Richeeae, and Cosmelieae (all within Styphelioideae)

Phylogeny, adaptive radiation and historical biogeography of Bromeliaceae: insights from an 8-locus plastid phylogeny.

The authors gratefully acknowledge fi nancial support for this investigation by grants from the National Science Foundation to P.E.B., K.J.S., and T.J.G. (DEB-9981587), T.J.G. (DEB-0830036), K.J.S. (DEB- 0431258), and G.L.B. and T.M.E. (DEB-0129446 and DEB-0129414), and from the Hertel Gift Fund to T.J.G., from the Commission for Interdisciplinary Ecological Studies (KI Ö S) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences ( Ö AW, 2007-02 to W.T. and M.H.J.B., and from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinshaft (ZI 557/7-1, SCHU 2426/1-1) and the Hessian initiative for the development of scientifi c and economic excellence (LOEWE) at the Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Mein, to G.Z. and K.S.Peer Reviewe