Format: ORAL

Ernesto Test1,2,3 *, Majela Hernndez-Rodrguez3, Eldis R. Bcquer3, Alejandro Palmarola5 Luis R. Gonzlez-Torres6

1 University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel 2 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France 3 Jardín Botánico Nacional, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 4 Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 5 Jardín Quinta de los Molinos, La Habana, Cuba 6 Douglas College, Vancouver, Canada

An accurate taxa delimitation, based on a complete understanding of evolutionary processes involved in taxon differentiation, can be gained from a combination of ecological, morphological, and molecular approaches. The taxonomy of Cuban magnolias has long been debated and exclusively based on a traditional morphological study of a limited number of individuals. Our goals are to delimit the Cuban species of Magnolia and to understand their biogeographic history in order to update their conservation status. Samples for the ecological, morphological, genetic, and phylogenetic analyses were collected throughout the entire distribution range. The variability of each group was analyzed through ecological niche models, multivariate and geometric morphometrics, genetic markers, and a fully sequenced plastome. The conservation status of each species was given based on the IUCN guidelines. Seven species of Magnolia are reported for Cuba, six of the endemics. Almost all the species showed a restricted distribution and evident differences in the ecological niche used. The observed leaf morphological variability was different between groups and from that described by previous studies. The population genetic and phylogenetic results showed good limits for all the species except forMagnolia minorandMagnolia oblongifolia, in which a recent or still ongoing hybridization event was reported. The phylogeny showed three different colonization events in Cuban magnolias: from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. All the Cuban magnolia are included in one category of threatened, due mainly to mining, deforestation, and invasive species.