The genera of tribe Sipaneeae have been either included within tribe Rondeletieae or treated as its sister tribe, and historically placed in subfamily Cinchonoideae. The herbaceous habit was the only character used to separate Sipaneeae from Rondeletieae. Recent molecular phylogenies included Maguireothamnus, Sipanea, Sipaneopsis, and Neobertiera in Sipaneeae, and positioned the tribe in subfamily Ixoroideae. These results stimulated a detailed analysis of this tribe and an evaluation of the position and delimitation of several genera believed to be related because of their morphological similarity. Our study indicates that tribe Sipaneeae is monophyletic, and confirms its placement within Ixoroideae. The Sipaneeae clade included Chalepophyllum, Dendrosipanea, Limnosipanea, Maguireothamnus, Neobertiera, Sipanea, and Sipaneopsis. Several genera of this group are small shrubs, and the woody habit is shown to be basal in Sipaneeae. Sipanea and Limnosipanea are shown to be monophyletic and not sister taxa, indicating that the herbaceous habit evolved two times in the tribe. Sequences of Steyermarkia, Pteridocalyx and Neblinathamnus were not available in this study, but because of overall morphological similarity with the genera of Sipaneeae, they are tentatively included in the tribe.

Attempts at historical reconstruction are based on limited data. We are more likely to produce accurate historical reconstructions by utilizing information from diverse sources and pooling data within the relevant research communities which will allow us to build up a moving picture of the geological, climatic, and biological evolution of our planet. We suggest that dated phylogenies of plants can contribute greatly to a better understanding of Earth history. Timing of phylogenetic splits of lowland restricted lineages on either side of the Andes could provide information on the timing of montane uplift and associated climatic changes. The timing of the arrival and diversification of organisms restricted to specific climatic regimes at a particular altitude can provide information on the age at which mountains reached a height adequate for that climate once corrected for global climate changes. As a model for study, we discuss how dated phylogenies in biome rich Colombia may contribute to an understanding of geological and climatic change in north‐western South America. Lowland wet forest restricted lineages separated from the mid‐Miocene, whereas lineages primarily restricted to mid‐altitude cloud forests began to diversify from the mid‐ to late‐Miocene and the majority of high‐altitude Páramo lineages began to diversify during the Pliocene. The age of diversification of altitudinally restricted lineages therefore gives an indication of the age at which particular altitudes may have been reached.

Understanding how species diversify and evolve in species-rich areas like the lowland rain forest in the Neotropics is critical for conservation in times of unprecedented threats. To determine how the Andean uplift, the formation of the Panama land bridge, and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations affected dispersal and diversification in the Sapotaceae subfamily Chrysophylloideae, we collected 146 Chrysophylloideae accessions in previously under-explored areas, generating one of the most geographically complete data sets for neotropical Sapotaceae. Sapotaceae is a good model to test diversification hypotheses in lowland neotropical rain forests as it predominantly occurs <1000 m altitude, and it is an abundant and species-rich group in this biome. We generated a time calibrated phylogeny of 123 Sapotaceae species based upon the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region that suggests migration between lineages to the east and the west Andean Cordilleras occurred before and after periods of major uplift, indicating that the Andes did not represent a significant barrier to dispersal for Sapotaceae, although it may have promoted vicariance in some cases. Dispersal between South and Central America occurred mainly prior to the formation of the Panama land bridge, suggesting that this event did not affect migration patterns in Chrysophylloideae. We inferred diversification rates and detected three shifts in the phylogeny, but they are not congruent with tectonic movements during the middle Miocene and climatic changes during the Pleistocene. Finally, some species with restricted distributions appear to be phylogenetically nested within species with broader ranges, suggesting ancestor descendent relationships and insights into patterns of speciation in rain forest trees.

Palabras clave: biodiversidad, bosque andino, Cachalú, catálogo lorístico, Cordillera Oriental, lora vascular, reserva biológica.

No abstract

Identification of individuals in the absence of reproductive traits or in juvenile stages can be difficult. Incorrect identification will result in inaccurate biodiversity inventories that are an impediment to effective conservation management. Here, we present data in which we argue that the generation of DNA barcode reference libraries using DNA extracted from type specimens could resolve issues related to correct identification. The genus Micropholis (Sapotaceae) is diverse and ecologically important in Neotropical lowland rain forests. We first assessed the capacity of the molecular markers ITS2, matK and rbcL in differentiating species in the genus. Based on a phylogenetic reconstruction we found that many individuals in our study were incorrectly identified, and we argue that if we had access to a type specimen DNA barcode reference library we would have more rapidly and correctly identified individuals.

No abstract

The vegetation of the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, located in Central-Western Brazil, is undergoing rapid devastation due to escalating land use in the Cerrado Biome, and to the impact of timber companies in the Amazonian portion of Mato Grosso. Therefore, it is of extreme urgency to assess the diversity of plant and animal species present, in order to plan the appropriate measures for conservation efforts in these states. The Rubiaceae is one of the largest plant families of the area studied, and an updated list of genera and species is provided here. However, this study should be considered as a work in progress, due to the scarce knowledge of the flora of this area. An extensive study of bibliography and herbarium material provided the basic information for an updated synopsis of genera and a preliminary species list of the Rubiaceae encountered in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, with a total of 68 genera and 269 species. A key to the genera, as well as a full description, synonymy and critical literature of each genus are provided. In addition, an extensive list of synonyms from the area studied and from most of the Neotropics, is given for each species.