Format: ORAL

Nicole Mitidieri-Rivera1, Elliot Gardner2, Leandro Pederneiras3, Alexander Damin-Parizaca1, Kenneth J. Sytsma1

1 Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA 2 Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA 3 Diretoria de Pesquisa - DIPEQ, Instituto de Pesquisa do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The diversification of angiosperms poses an intriguing evolutionary puzzle that has been attributed to the origin of the flower. Pollinator-mediated selection stands as a key force driving the astonishing diversity of floral forms observed in angiosperms, but its role in the diversification of Urticalean rosids has been neglected. Utilizing the Moraceae family as a model system, we aim to investigate how changes in floral traits have influenced its floral disparity and the emergence of unique clades, such as the figs. This pantropical, monophyletic family boasts a remarkable floral diversity across its 46 genera and ca. 1200 species. Despite the familys extensive morphological diversity, limited studies have explored the role of floral traits in its evolution and diversification. Previous classification schemes by C.C. Berg and E.J.H. Corner, primarily based on morphology, led to conflicting taxonomic circumscriptions due to the familys homoplasious nature. Recent advances in molecular techniques and phylogenomic analyses have unveiled deep-seated relationships among Moraceae tribes, shedding light on the evolution of floral structures and reproductive mechanisms. The time is now ripe to revisit Bergs and Corners treatments of Moraceae. Leveraging the latest phylogenomic study in the fig family, we applied model-based phylogenetic comparative methods to translate hypotheses of morphological evolution under pollinator-mediated selection. We inferred ancestral character states and conducted trait-dependent diversification analyses based on a literature review and a comprehensive Moraceae dataset of 529 species. Understanding the intricate web of factors influencing the diversification of Moraceae remains a dynamic area of research, offering crucial insights into the macroevolutionary trajectories of one of the most diverse groups of angiosperms.