Format: ORAL

Ajith Ashokan1, Justin C. Bagley2, Nathan Muchhala1

1 Department of Biology, University of Missouri - St. Louis, USA 2 Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, USA

The centropogonids within Lobelioideae (Campanulaceae), consist of Burmeistera H.Karst. Triana, Centropogon C.Presl, and Siphocampylus Pohl, stand out as one of the rapidest plant radiations in the Neotropics. Remarkably, this alliance gave rise to approximately 550 species in less than three million years. Traditionally, fruit traits were employed to distinguish genera within centropogonids, where Siphocampylus is identified by capsules, and Burmeistera and Centropogon by berries. Inflated berries are a distinctive feature of Burmeistera, representing a third of its species diversity. Our study compares inflated and fleshy berries in Burmeistera, examining differences in elevation, as well as the evolution of morphological, ecological, and geographical traits. This analysis, conducted within a phylogenomic framework, provides insights into how these factors have influenced the diversification of Burmeistera. Our findings indicate that inflated fruits evolved multiple times in the phylogeny of Burmeistera species, with inflated and fleshy berries occupying distinct adaptive regimes, particularly concerning elevation. Moreover, the diversification patterns in Burmeistera varied among species distributed in the Choc biogeographic region, exhibiting a comparatively reduced frequency of inflated berries. We propose that studies focused on the conservation of often overlooked taxa, like Burmeistera, could significantly impact the preservation of severely threatened cloud forest ecosystems.