Biogeography and the origin of extant species of the schismatoglottis nervosa complex (araceae : schismatoglottideae)

• Main Author: Ting, April Pei Jen
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University Malaysia Sarawak, UNIMAS 2013
• Subjects: QK Botany
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/9351/2/April%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/9351/

This study presents the phylogeny and biogeography of the Schismatoglottis Nervosa complex (Araceae: Schismatoglottideae) based on the nuclear ITS region and chloroplast regions (matK, trnL-F, psbA-trnH). The aim is to provide evidence for divergence and biogeographical implications of the complex and to provide insight into the dispersal evolution of the family. The Schismatoglottis Nervosa complex comprises eighteen species endemic to several localities in Borneo and West Malaysia: Kuching (Bau, Matang, Padawan, and Lundu), Serian, Bintulu, Sarikei, Kapit, Miri, Tawau and Perak. Each species is endemic to specific substrate: shales, limestone, sandstone and granite. Maximum parsimony analysis and maximum likelihood analyses were performed with PAUP* 4.0b10 and RAxML blackbox, respectively. Bayesian analysis was generated with MrBayes v3.2.7, divergence time estimation by BEAST, and distribution evolution based on S-DIVA and LAGRANGE. Results from these analyses revealed that the complex diverged from west to east (polarity from Malay Peninsula to Borneo) during Pliocene (6 Mya) to Pleistocene (0.6 Mya) through re-emergence and submergence of land bridges. Divergence date estimates support a rapid radiation which very likely catalyzed by geological history.