Format: ORAL

Reyjane P. Oliveira1, Iasmin Laiane C. Oliveira1, Maria Luiza S. Carvalho2, Fabrcio M. Ferreira3, Cassiano A.D. Welker3, Joo P. S. Vieira1, Marcos C. Drea1, Alessandra S. Schnadelbach2, Lynn G. Clark4

1Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil 2Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil 3Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil 4Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University

The tribe Olyreae includes weakly lignified plants bearing unisexual dimorphic spikelets which inhabit the understory of tropical forests, almost exclusively in the Americas. Its monophyletic status is well supported, as are the relationships of its subtribes (Buergersiochloinae sister to the Olyrinae + Parianinae clade). However, in the past five years new information about this tribe has been gathered using integrative approaches. Molecular phylogenies based on plastid and nuclear sequences, as well as morphological and micromorphological data, were used to reveal novel relationships and identities within the group. Three genera (Piresiella, Miniochloa and Ekmanochloa) were recently transferred from Olyrinae to Buergersiochloinae, enlarging the circumscription of the group to four genera and five species. In Parianinae, another new genus is being described, also increasing its generic number to four. Most novelties, however, come from the Olyrinae, the largest subtribe, which has undergone in-depth investigations. One important result is the confirmation of the paraphyly of Olyra, which will be resolved by transferring some of its species to Arberella and recognizing five new genera. Thus, the subtribe now encompasses 20 genera, increasing to 30 the total number of genera of Olyreae. Most richness of this tribe is found in Brazil (25 genera, six of them recently described) from where several species are endemic and threatened. In this sense, our efforts have focused on the recognition of taxa the diversity of which was and continues to be underestimated due to their complexity and rarity. We are also developing genomic studies to better explore the evolutionary history and biogeography of this interesting bamboo group.