www.reelab.net - plants, evolution, phylogenetics, biogeography

An NSF-funded collaboration with Magnus Lidén to revise Corydalis (Fumariaceae), a species-rich (440 spp.) angiosperm clade that is most diverse in one of the few biodiversity “hotspots” on Earth that occur outside of the tropics: the mountains of south-central China.  The primary objectives are a revised sectional classification that incorporates molecular phylogenetic analyses in delimiting subgeneric taxa that are monophyletic, morphologically diagnosable, and stable and predictive in the face of new species discovery. The latter is particularly important for Corydalis because of historical undercollection; recent exploration in China has yielded over thirty new species, many of which await description. In addition, the goals include historical biogeographic analyses of Corydalis.  The combination of field exploration, traditional morphological systematics, molecular phylogenetics, and quantitative biogeographic analysis will yield a highly integrated understanding of Corydalis diversification worldwide.

The project helped Magnus complete a monumental work: the Fumariaceae treatment for the Flora of China.