Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of Ebenaceae (Ebony family).

The economically important family Ebenaceae (ebony) is pantropical in distribution and comprises roughly 500- 600 species grouped into three genera Diospyros, Euclea and Lissocarpa. Genus Lissocarpa (earlier circumscribed as a monogeneric family Lissocarpaceae) has been included into Ebenaceae by some authors (e.g., Willis 1985; Berry et al. 2001). Despite the disjunct distributional patterns of species in these genera (Southeast Asia, Africa, Madagascar, South America, Pacific islands) no molecular-based historical biogeography has been attempted. The present project concentrates on the molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of this family. Molecular phylogeny obtained using both plastid (coding rbcL, matK and non coding atpB/rbcL sequences) and nuclear (rDNA, ITS and low copy PHYCgene) sequences will be used for the taxon based biogeographical analysis using DIVA programme (Dispersal Vicariance Analysis: Ronquest, 1996,1997). Timing of the branching pattern will be evaluated by including species occurring on precisely dated, isolated, volcanic islands; this will establish minimum ages for nodes within the phylogenetic trees, which in turn will provide a calibration point for a "molecular clock" so that the ages of other taxa on continental areas can be extrapolated. Pattern of character evolution will be evaluated by mapping selected morphological characters. MacClade 3.07(Maddison and Maddison, 1992) program will be used to examine the distribution of molecular and morphological attributes on the cladogram.

The economically important family Ebenaceae (ebony) is pantropical in distribution and comprises roughly 500- 600 species grouped into three genera Diospyros, Euclea and Lissocarpa. Genus Lissocarpa (earlier circumscribed as a monogeneric family Lissocarpaceae) has been included into Ebenaceae by some authors (e.g., Willis 1985; Berry et al. 2001). Despite the disjunct distributional patterns of species in these genera (Southeast Asia, Africa, Madagascar, South America, Pacific islands) no molecular-based historical biogeography has been attempted. The present project concentrates on the molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of this family. Molecular phylogeny obtained using both plastid (coding rbcL, matK and non coding atpB/rbcL sequences) and nuclear (rDNA, ITS and low copy PHYCgene) sequences will be used for the taxon based biogeographical analysis using DIVA programme (Dispersal Vicariance Analysis: Ronquest, 1996,1997). Timing of the branching pattern will be evaluated by including species occurring on precisely dated, isolated, volcanic islands; this will establish minimum ages for nodes within the phylogenetic trees, which in turn will provide a calibration point for a "molecular clock" so that the ages of other taxa on continental areas can be extrapolated. Pattern of character evolution will be evaluated by mapping selected morphological characters. MacClade 3.07(Maddison and Maddison, 1992) program will be used to examine the distribution of molecular and morphological attributes on the cladogram.