The Hebe complex comprises a putatively monophyletic group distributed from eastern Australia and New Guinea to the Falkland Islands. Analysis of ITS sequences supports five distinct clades within the complex, corresponding to Derwentia plus Hebe formosa, Heliohebe, Chionohebe plus Parahebe trifida, Parahebe, and Hebe. Hebe cheesemanii and Hebe cupressoides form a weakly supported Glade that is distinct from the Hebe Glade. Relationships of Hebe macrantha are poorly resolved. The currently recognised infrageneric classification of Hebe is not supported by this study, and the newly described genus Leonohebe Heads is considered polyphyletic. These results suggest that the progenitor of the Hebe complex originated in Australia. A rapid and extensive radiation followed establishment of a founder population in New Zealand. The combined effects of inbreeding, genetic drift, and strong selection on small populations fragmented by mountain-building and glaciation have contributed to its rapid evolution. At least two recent instances of long-distance dispersal be-B97045

Till' NfU Zealand lu-hcs (Srn»f)luilariat'eae) arr nu'inlu'is of a lar^c Soiillu'iii I Irrnisplu're clade nested williin Veronica. Analysis of IIS and rlnX. scijuences siit!;gfsls Hiat the Nt'w Zealand species are derived from a single eonunon ancesh)! that arrived via long-distance dispersal. After the estahlishnient of iliis initial fonnder population in Nen Zealand, llie hehes have undergone at least two major episod«»s of diversification, giving rise to six elades. 1 he great degree of moiphological di\ersilv in the New Zealand hehi-s contrasts with a c()nes[)ondiug lo\s le\el of se<|uence ilivcrgcui'e. New Ze'aland was a source of new emigrants to t)thcr regions in the South l^acilic that were [)readaplcd to high mountains or forest margins. Our results suggest that two instances t)f long-distance dispersal from New Zealand to South America, at least one instance from New Zealand to Australia, and one instance from New Zealand to New (iuinea have occurred relati\el\ rec^Mith. Short(M" hops Itt tlu^ (Chatham Ishmds and the suhantaretie islands arc alst) supported h) tlie s(Miuence data. Key words: /A7>e. ITS, New Z<'aland, ph\logcuctIc analysis, rbA., Scrophulariaceae, Vewnita.L(nig-dislanc(^ tlispersal has a profound influence in New Zealand are conspicuous elein(*nts in most on llie evolution of insular floras (Carl([uisl, 1971), terrestrial ecosystems except (orchis and wcllatuls. and there is substantial evidence suggesting that il SptM'ies such as UeJw (irmstrongii, H. r///»re.s.vo/V/e.s-, occurs ndalively frequently (Godley, 1967; l\)lc, and IL speciosa have patchy or localized dislri-1991). One of the most rcrnarkahle examples of dis-hutions and are c<»nsidered rare or endangered; persal folloAved by atlaptivc evolution on islands is about 7()7c of llie species are confimnl to small the New Zealand hebi's (Scrophulariaceae). Wags-regions within New Zealand, laff an

In our recent paper (Tay et al. 2010), several errors arose in Figs 5 and 6, mostly at the drafting stage: we neglected a polytomy in both figures; the tree topology in Fig. 6 was incorrect; the names of seven terminal taxa were associated with the wrong branches in Fig. 6; and P. euryphylla was spelled incorrectly in Fig. 5. The figures presented here correct these errors.Additionally, we have updated the data presented by including the diploid chromosome number of P. daltonii (Brown 1981).Fortunately, the discussion and conclusions of the original paper are still consistent with the revised figures. Abstract. We examined the geographic origins and taxonomic placements of New Zealand and Australian Plantago (Plantaginaceae) by using molecular phylogenetic data. Plantago comprises over 200 species distributed worldwide. Analyses of three markers from the nuclear (ITS), chloroplast (ndhF-rpl32) and mitochondrial (coxI) genomes showed that the New Zealand species form three distinct, well supported clades that are not each others' closest relatives, and were each derived relative to the sampled Australian species. Therefore, at least three long-distance directional dispersal events into New Zealand can be inferred for Plantago, likely from Australian ancestors. This result differs from the biogeographic pattern often reported for New Zealand plant genera of a single dispersal event followed by rapid radiation, and may be attributed to ready biotic dispersal of mucilaginous seeds and habitat similarities of the Australasian species. Molecular dating placed the arrival time and diversification of the New Zealand species between 2.291 and 0.5 million years ago, which coincides with the geological dates for the uplift of mountain ranges in New Zealand. The mitochondrial DNA substitution rate of the Australasian clade relative to the rest of the genus is discussed, as well as implications of the non-monophyly of sections Oliganthos, Mesembrynia and Plantago within subgenus Plantago.

In mosses, separate and combined sexes are evolutionarily labile, yet factors selecting for this variation are unknown. In this study, we investigate phylogenetic correlations between sexual system and five life-history traits (asexual reproduction, chromosome number, gametophore length, spore size, and seta length). We assigned states to species on a large-scale phylogeny of mosses and used maximum likelihood analyses to test for the correlations and investigate the sequence of trait acquisition. Mosses in lineages with separate sexes were significantly more likely to be large, whereas those in lineages with combined sexes had higher chromosome numbers. Moreover, evolutionary transitions to separate sexes were more likely to occur in lineages with small spores. There was no support for a correlation between asexual reproduction and separate sexes. These results suggest that sexual system evolution is influenced by traits affecting mate availability and the dispersal of gametes and spores, and provides evidence for the existence of syndromes of life-history traits in mosses.

No abstract

The study of genome size evolution in a phylogenetic context in related polyploid and diploid lineages can help us to understand the advantages and disadvantages of genome size changes and their effect on diversification. Here, we contribute 199 new DNA sequences and a nearly threefold increase in genome size estimates in polyploid and diploid Veronica (Plantaginaceae) (to 128 species, c. 30% of the genus) to provide a comprehensive baseline to explore the effect of genome size changes. We reconstructed internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and trnL‐trnL‐trnF phylogenetic trees and performed phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS), ancestral character state reconstruction, molecular dating and diversification analyses. Veronica 1C‐values range from 0.26 to 3.19 pg. Life history is significantly correlated with 1C‐value, whereas ploidy and chromosome number are strongly correlated with both 1C‐ and 1Cx‐values. The estimated ancestral Veronica 1Cx‐value is 0.65 pg, with significant genome downsizing in the polyploid Southern Hemisphere subgenus Pseudoveronica and two Northern Hemisphere subgenera, and significant genome upsizing in two diploid subgenera. These genomic downsizing events are accompanied by increased diversification rates, but a ‘core shift’ was only detected in the rate of subgenus Pseudoveronica. Polyploidy is important in the evolution of the genus, and a link between genome downsizing and polyploid diversification and species radiations is hypothesized. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 178, 243–266.

No abstract

DNA sequences of the 5' end of the chloroplast ndhF gene for 15 species of Caryophyllaceae have been analyzed by parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses. Three major clades are identified, with little or no support for monophyly of traditionally recognized subfamilies. The first of the three major clades identified (Clade I) is constituted by part of the subfamily Paronychioideae. It includes members of the tribe Paronychieae and members of tribe Polycarpeae. The second (Clade II) contains members of the Paronychieae exclusively. Tribe Paronychieae is thus apparently polyphyletic and tribe Polycarpeae is at least paraphyletic. The third clade (Clade III) includes members of subfamilies Alsinoideae and Caryophylloideae along with the genus Spergularia. The genus Scleranthus is also part of Clade III, while Drymaria groups with the other genera of tribe Polycarpeae in Clade II. We conclude that morphological characters previously used to delimit subfamilial groupings in the Caryophyllaceae are apparently unreliable estimators of phylogeny.