Cutting up the climbers: Evidence for extensive polyphyly in Friesodielsia (Annonaceae) necessitates generic realignment across the tribe Uvarieae

Abstract

Friesodielsia and the closely related genera Dasymaschalon, Desmos, Exellia, Gilbertiella and Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae subfamily Annonoideae tribe Uvarieae) are taxonomically problematic, with obscure generic delimitations and poorly known phylogenetic relationships. The present study addresses the polyphyletic status of Friesodielsia, using two nuclear and five chloroplast DNA regions to resolve this taxonomic confusion by circumscribing strictly monophyletic genera across the tribe. Bayesian, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses using a broad taxon sampling (101 taxa) reveal that Friesodielsia species form five robust and morphologically distinct clades. In order to ensure strict monophyly of genera, we restrict the generic name Friesodielsia to an exclusively Asian clade, and the African species that were formerly included in the genus are transferred to Afroguatteria, Monanthotaxis and Sphaerocoryne, necessitating ten new nomenclatural combinations. Schefferomitra, a monospecific genus from New Guinea, is shown to be congeneric with Asian Friesodielsia, and the nomenclatural implications of this are discussed. Two monospecific genera, Exellia and Gilbertiella, are furthermore synonymised with Monanthotaxis, necessitating two additional nomenclatural changes. New generic descriptions are provided for Dasymaschalon (ca. 27 species), Desmos (ca. 22 species), Friesodielsia (ca. 38 species) and Monanthotaxis (ca. 94 species) to reflect these revised circumscriptions.

A nonet of novel species of Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae) from around Africa

“…Based on all these similarities we place Monanthotaxis latistamina in the genus Monanthotaxis . Furthermore, DNA sequences confirm the placement of Monanthotaxis latistamina within the genus Monanthotaxis (Guo et al in press). …”

“…Each of these species belongs clearly to the genus Monanthotaxis , as they share the following morphological characteristics with all other species: a climbing habit, glaucous leaves, loosely coherent floral chambers, and moniliform monocarps. DNA sequences have confirmed their phylogenetic position within Monanthotaxis , and these analyses will be published soon in a separate paper with the new generic delimitation of Monanthotaxis (Guo et al in press). With the species described here, the current number of species of Monanthotaxis will raise to 67.…”

Time-Dependent Trapping of Pollinators Driven by the Alignment of Floral Phenology with Insect Circadian Rhythms

“…These three genera consistently form a well-supported clade in recent molecular phylogenies (Guo et al, 2017), with Desmos sister to the Dasymaschalon-Friesodielsia clade. Abbreviated anthesis is therefore possibly synapomorphic for the entire clade and can be inferred to have evolved prior to pollinator trapping in the Dasymaschalon-Friesodielsia lineage.…”

Which frugivory‐related traits facilitated historical long‐distance dispersal in the custard apple family (Annonaceae)?

“…and Monanthotaxis, Guo, Hoekstra, et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2012, Figures 1a and 4j), dehiscent fruits (e.g., found in extant Xylopia and Cymbopetalum, Figures 1j and 4i), and (relatively) small seeds ( Figure 4c) are traits associated with long-distance dispersal. Both moniliform and dehiscent fruits have been shown to be particularly attractive to birds (Gautier-Hion et al, 1985;Guo, Hoekstra, et al, 2017;Lomáscolo & Schaefer, 2010), although Xylopia has been observed to be fed on by both birds and primates (Johnson & Murray, 2018). These vertebrate dispersers facilitate germination in these species by removing the aril, the sarcotesta, or both (i.e., structures that inhibit germination) (Stull et al, 2017).…”