Systematics and Evolution of the Tropical African Genus Hymenostegia (Detarieae: Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae)
Hymenostegia ngouniensis: flowers and foliage. Copyright: University of Wageningen
A morphological study of the generic boundary between the genera Talbotiella Baker f. and Hymenostegia (Benth.) Harms undertaken in September 2005 provided evidence that Talbotiella could be united with Hymenostegia bringing the number of species accommodated within Hymenostegia to 21. The study indicated that it is highly unlikely that Hymenostegia as currently circumscribed constitutes a natural group and six species presently accommodated in Hymenostegia not only do not belong there, but also do not belong together. Possibly as many as four different generic placements may be needed for these erroneously assigned species, either in existing genera or, more probably, in new genera. The purpose of the project is to clarify the generic limits of Hymenostegia and revise the species within.
Objectives are to test the monophyly of core Hymenostegia, to discover the correct placement of the non-core elements and to test the hypothesis that Talbotiella and Hymenostegia are congeneric, by means of a phylogenetic investigation of Hymenostegia sens. lat. The project will also incorporate a full revision of the species of core Hymenostegia including the description of at least three species new to science. The project duration is Jan 2006 to Dec 2007.
Products and outputs will be the publication of a suprageneric level phylogeny within Detarieae based on nucleotide sequence data and morphology. Depending on the outcome of the phylogenetic investigation, publication of generic segregates may be required. A taxonomic revision of core Hymenostegia including red data assessments will also be published.
Project Team
Project Leader: Mackinder, Barbara
Herbarium
Barbara Mackinder
Project Partners and Collaborators
Canada
University of Montreal, Canada
The Netherlands
National Herbarium of the Netherlands, Wageningen University Branch
Funders
The Netherlands
National Herbarium of the Netherlands
Synthesis of Systematic Resources (SYNTHESYS)