Germán Carnevali

A phylogeny of Bromeliaceae (Poales, Monocotyledoneae) derived from an evaluation of nine supertree methods

There are 26 phylogenetic studies for Bromeliaceae based on different sources of evidence. Despite this broad phylogenetic coverage of Bromeliaceae, however, the available phylogenetic data display a scattered sampling, with little overlap among different types of evidence. The aim of this study is to integrate the available phylogenetic information of the Bromeliaceae in one hypothesis using a supertree. To test which of them integrates best the information for Bromeliaceae, nine supertree methods were employed: Avcon, MSS, MinFlip, MMC, MRP, PhySIC_IST, Robinson–Foulds Supertree, Sfit, and SuperFine. Supertrees were compared with a reference tree, generated from the maximum likelihood (ML) analysis of a supermatrix integrated by 120 taxa of Bromeliaceae and seven cpDNA regions. In order to select which method best reconstructs the most robust phylogeny, two different sets of source trees were used: (i) those generated from the analysis of each individual DNA regions; and (ii) four selected phylogenies (from the 26 published works). We used the consensus fork index, normalized partition metric, patristic distance coefficient, and the Shimodaira–Hasegawa test to compare supertrees with the reference tree. The best performing methods were used to construct a supertree using all phylogenies of Bromeliaceae. The SuperFine method generated the best supertree. The lack of overlapping among phylogenies was the major limiting factor for the integration of the phylogenetic information of Bromeliaceae. Nonetheless, supertree methods helped in the identification of poorly sampled groups, as well as to explore levels of agreement among published phylogenetic studies for Bromeliaceae.

Brasiliorchis: A New Genus for the Maxillaria picta Alliance (Orchidaceae, Maxillariinae)

ABSTRACT Brasiliorchis R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali is here proposed to include the orchid species formerly recognized in the Maxillaria picta alliance, an orchid group mostly endemic to the Atlantic Rain Forest Biome, in south and southeastern Brazil. The new genus is supported by both morphological features and ongoing molecular studies. The new genus is easily diagnosed by its sulcate to ridged, bifoliate pseudobulbs and its long-lasting, campanulate, rewardless flowers. The pollinaria of these flowers are normally devoid of stipes. Formal diagnosis of the genus and 13 taxonomic combinations are presented: Brasiliorchis barbozae (Loefgren) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. chrysantha (Barbosa Rodrigues) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. consanguinea (Klotzsch) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. gracilis (Loddiges) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. heismanniana (Barbosa Rodrigues) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. kautskyi (Pabst) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. marginata (Lindley) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. phoenicanthera (Barbosa Rodrigues) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. picta (Hooker) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. polyantha (Barbosa Rodrigues) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. porphyrostele (Reichenbach f.) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, B. schunkeana (Campacci & Kautsky) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali, and B. ubatubana (Hoehne) R. Singer, S. Koehler & Carnevali. Lectotypes are designated for B. barbozae, B. chrysantha, B. heismanniana, B. phoenicanthera, B. picta, and B. polyantha. A neotype is proposed for B. consanguinea. In addition, a key to distinguish Brasiliorchis from other sympatric bifoliate orchids within Brazilian Maxillariinae is presented.

A New Species in Lophiaris (Orchidaceae, Oncidiinae), in the Lophiaris straminea Complex

ABSTRACT An undescribed species of Lophiaris Rafinesque (Orchidaceae, Cymbidieae, Oncidiinae) was detected while conducting a phylogenetic study of Trichocentrum Poeppig & Endlicher s.l. Lophiaris sierracaracolensis Cetzal & Balam is described from Sierra Caracol in the Central Depression of Chiapas, on the Pacific slopes of Mexico. The new species is illustrated, and its affinities are discussed. The novelty is related to L. straminea (Bateman ex Lindley) Braem, but the labellum isthmus is broader (to 3 mm wide), the claw of the dorsal sepal is very short (1.5 mm long) and wide, and the callus is 8-partite (vs. 5-partite in L. straminea).

Further Disentangling of a Taxonomic Puzzle: Maxillaria ramosa, Ornithidium pendulum, and a New Species, O. elianae (Orchidaceae)

ABSTRACT McIllmurray and Oakeley (2004) demonstrated that the name Maxillaria ramosa has been misapplied to Ornithidium pendulum since 1967, and possibly corresponds to M. cassapensis. We refer Ornithidium ochraceum, O. loefgrenii, and Maxillaria spathulata to the synonymy of O. pendulum (in addition to the already recognized synonyms O. dichotomum and Scaphyglottis tafallae), and designate a lectotype for O. dichotomum. Anew species from Venezuela and the Guianas (Ornithidium elianae), previously confused with O. pendulum, is described. An updated description of O. pendulum is presented along with a review of its complicated taxonomic history and the first record of this species for Costa Rica.

A Combined Evidence Phylogenetic Re-Circumscription and a Taxonomic Revision of Lophiarella (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae)

Abstract We demonstrate, through separate and combined phylogenetic analyses of morphological characters, nucleotide sequences, and coded gaps of two DNA regions (plastid rpl32-trnL and nrDNA-ITS) using parsimony and Bayesian inference, that Lophiarella (Orchidaceae), as originally circumscribed, is polyphyletic. We re-circumscribe the genus to exclude one of the two species included in the original description and include two others, which requires two new combinations: Lophiarella splendida and Lophiarella flavovirens. As newly circumscribed, Lophiarella is strongly supported as a monophyletic assemblage within the Trichocentrum-clade, where it is sister to the (Cohniella, (Trichocentrum, Lophiaris)) clade. Lophiarella is easily diagnosable within the Trichocentrum-clade, among other characters, by the conduplicate yet rigidly fleshy-coriaceous leaves and the rigidly erect inflorescences with peduncles coated with a conspicuous, waxy film. In the context of a phylogenetic analysis, we discuss the evolution of several taxonomically, ecologically and biogeographically relevant characters, such as rostellum shape, vegetative architecture, labellum, and column structure. We also present a key to the genera of the Trichocentrum-clade and a taxonomic revision of the species of Lophiarella with keys, descriptions, nomenclature, iconography, discussion of affinities, ecological and biogeographical information, a distribution map, and full exsiccata citations.

Novelties in the Orchid Flora of Venezuela V. Cranichideae II. Veyretia szlachetkoana (Orchidaceae, Spirantheae) 1

Abstract We document an orchid species not previously reported or illustrated for the flora of Venezuela, Veyretia szlachetkoana, collected in the context of the project ″Flora de orquĺdeas de los estados Amazonas y Bolivar, Venezuela. ″ The genus Veyretia is briefly discussed, herbarium specimens of V. szlachetkoana are cited, and field diagnostic characters are provided. We also include a key to distinguish Sarcoglottis from Veyretia and one to identify the three species of Veyretia so far reported for the flora of Venezuela.

Novelties in the Orchid Flora of Southern Venezuela

Description et illustration de 6 nouvelles especes dont un hybride naturel et deux nouveaux hybrides naturels precedemment decrits comme especes

A phylogeny of the genus Encyclia (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae), with emphasis on the species of the Northern Hemisphere

Encyclia comprises over 150 species of orchids that occupy mainly seasonally dry habitats in tropical and subtropical America and are usually restricted to one or a few ecoregions. To determine whether species found in the same or neighboring ecoregions are closely related, we sampled more than 50 taxa, with an emphasis on species found in Mexico and Central America. We evaluated five DNA markers for their phylogenetic utility: the nuclear low copy gene PHYC, a plastid spacer region trnL‐F, a fragment of the plastid ycf1 gene, rpl32‐trnL, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA; we sampled only the last three markers for the main analyses based on an assessment of phylogenetic informativeness. We analyzed plastid regions and ITS separately in phylogenetic inference using a variety of methods, as we found strong incongruence between them, according to the ILD test. We also estimated clade ages using a relaxed molecular clock with indirect calibrations based on a larger taxonomic sampling. Encyclia is a monophyletic genus that originated ca. 12.43 Ma (10.55–14.25 Ma) ago, and has undergone several recent evolutionary radiations. We found a strong association between phylogenetic relationships and the geographic distribution of species and clades in the Caribbean, Central American, and the Pacific coast of Megamexico. Several groups of Encyclia occur in the latter region, the most species‐rich being the E. meliosma complex, which is restricted to the Pacific slope of Mexico from north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec up to Sonora.

Encyclia inopinata (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) a new species from Mexico

Abstract A new species of Encyclia from Mexico, Encyclia inopinata, is described and illustrated. This species is similar to Encyclia diota but it can be distinguished by its usually more robust plants with 2–3 leaves per pseudobulb and its flowers with longer and narrower sepals (1.8±0.1 × 0.63±0.03 cm in Encyclia inopinata versus 1.48 ±0.14 × 0.65±0.06 cm in Encyclia diota) and petals (1.7±0.05 × 0.59±0.05 cm in Encyclia inopinata vs. 1.36 ±0.19 × 0.81±0.13 cm in Encyclia diota), and the labellum with narrower lateral lobes (0.18±0.02 cm in Encyclia inopinata vs. 0.41±0.10 cm in Encyclia diota). Other characters that differentiate these two species are the coriaceous sepals, pink callus, and white anther of Encyclia inopinata (versus fleshy-leathery sepals, white callus, and yellow anther of Encyclia diota). The new species can be found in deciduous forests along the Pacific slope of Oaxaca state, near of the border with Guerrero state, at about 1200 m. It blooms between March and July.

What is Cohniella cebolleta? Recircumscription and New and Reinstated Species and Combinations (Orchidaceae)

Abstract A revision of the Cohniella cebolleta complex from northern South America and the Lesser Antilles is presented. Five species are recognized in this complex. As circumscribed here, Cohniella cebolleta is restricted to northern Colombia and northern Venezuela. We describe and illustrate a new species, Cohniella macrocebolleta, endemic to eastern Venezuela, and propose two new combinations: Cohniella juncifolia, endemic to the Lesser Antilles, and Cohniella ultrajectina from southern Venezuela and the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana). Detailed taxonomic descriptions are given for each species, including short accounts of their distribution and ecology, diagnostic characters, variational range, taxonomic comments, and material examined. Furthermore, a key, an appendix featuring diagnostic characters, and distribution maps for species complexes recognized in Cohniella and taxa recognized in the C. cebolleta complex are presented and discussed.