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Patterns of Diversification of Miconia (Miconieae) in the Greater and Lesser Antilles

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Systematics, Evolution, and Ecology of Melastomataceae

Abstract

Miconieae are the largest tribe in the family Melastomataceae with ca. 1900 described species. The Greater and Lesser Antilles harbor an impressive number of species from the Miconieae, which occur throughout the islands. Four major clades of Miconia are represented in the Antilles, the Caribbean, Chaenopleura, Mecranium, and Sagraea clades, corresponding to five in situ radiations. The Caribbean clade consists of ca. 160 spp., the Chaenopleura clade (= Miconia sect. Chaenopleura) of ca. 55 spp., Mecranium clade (= Miconia sect. Sagraeoides) of ca. 25 spp., and the Sagraea clade (= Miconia sect. Sagraea) of ca. 45 endemic spp. and is represented by two separate radiations in the Antilles. Likewise, numerous widespread continental species (ca. 45) from disparate subclades across Miconieae occur throughout the islands (presumably originating from many long-distance dispersal events), further increasing the Melastome diversity there. Each of these major clades is briefly characterized, and the evolutionary/phylogenetic patterns within each are discussed. Based on a phylogenetic framework, we discuss the patterns of diversification among the islands, as well as some of the biogeographic patterns of these fascinating radiations within the islands. We incorporate known data regarding ecological pressures and morphological evolution that likely have aided the diversification of this clade principally throughout the mountainous areas of the islands. Three new combinations are made in Miconia for Mecranium integrifolium, Miconia neibensis (Skean) Skean, Judd & Majure, comb. nov., Miconia neibensis subsp. alainii Skean, comb. nov., and Miconia neibensis subsp. integrifolia Skean, comb. nov.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank numerous individuals who helped with fieldwork leading to much of the data collected to make this synopsis possible (T. Clase, R. García, A. Liogier, B. Peguero-JBSD, K. Campbell, P. Lewis-IJ, W. Cinea-Les Cayes Bot. Gard., T. Zanoni-NYBG, B. Santana, R. Lowden, G. Proctor, C. Rivera, D. Cordier, P. Paryski, F. Sergile, C. Woods). Fabian Michelangeli, PI on the NSF-funded PBI Miconieae project, was instrumental in providing resources for making this work possible. We also thank the staff of the University of Florida Herbarium (FLAS), Florida Museum of Natural History, and other herbaria that aided with specimen loans and requests: A, ALBC, F, FTBG, GH, IJ, JE, MICH, MO, NY, S, UCMM, US, as well as the Herbario del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba (HAJB), the Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática de Cuba (HAC), and the Jardín Botánico Nacional “Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso” (JBSD), which provided resources and aid during fieldwork. Eugenio Santiago-Valentín and an anonymous reviewer provided helpful comments on a previous version of the paper.

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Majure, L.C., Bécquer, E.R., Skean, J.D., Ionta, G.M., Judd, W.S. (2022). Patterns of Diversification of Miconia (Miconieae) in the Greater and Lesser Antilles. In: Goldenberg, R., Michelangeli, F.A., Almeda, F. (eds) Systematics, Evolution, and Ecology of Melastomataceae. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99742-7_29

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