Floral Evolution in Lamiales
Cross section of flower of Salvia pratensis © Paula Rudall
Studies on comparative floral anatomy, embryology and ontogeny are undertaken in a phylogenetic context in order to improve our understanding the evolution of the diverse and interesting floral morphologies that occur in Lamiales. Research techniques include scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and various types of light microscopy (LM). Since understanding of structures within a clade requires comparative work on related taxa, these studies are undertaken in a broad phylogenetic context within the Lamiid clade (Lamiales and its relatives). Analytical techniques employed include cladistic analyses of morphological and combined molecular-morphological data, and use of the improved molecular phylogenetic framework to optimise character sets.
Project Team
Project Leader: Rudall, Paula
Paula Rudall
Project Partners and Collaborators
Colombia
National University of Colombia, Bogotá
UK
Oxford University
RBG Edinburgh
University of Reading