- Department of Biological Sciences
University Park Campus
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199 USA
- Biological Sciences, Plant Ecology, Tropical Ecology, Fire Ecology, Pollination biology, Habitat fragmentation, and 15 moreHerbivory, Plant breeding systems, Tritrophic Interactions, Plant/animal Interactions, Pollination, Endangered Species, Generalist, Rare Plant, Coastal Strand, Mutualism, Pollination ecology, Extrafloral Nectar, Animal-Plant Interaction, Caribbean region, and Restorationedit
- I am an evolutionary ecologist who studies interactions between plants and animals. Anti-herbivore defense supported ... moreI am an evolutionary ecologist who studies interactions between plants and animals. Anti-herbivore defense supported by extrafloral nectaries and pollination biology are my primary interests. Although I retired from active duty at FIU in Fall of 2021 I remain active in research, writing, and helping my remaining PhD candidates to graduate!edit
... BENTLEY, BL 1977. Extrafloral nectaries and protection by pugnacious bodyguards. A Rev. Ecol. Syst. 8:407-427. FEINSINGER, P., AND LA SWARM. 1978. How common are ant-repellent nectars? Biotropica 10:238-239. FRANKIE, GW, WA HABER, I.... more
... BENTLEY, BL 1977. Extrafloral nectaries and protection by pugnacious bodyguards. A Rev. Ecol. Syst. 8:407-427. FEINSINGER, P., AND LA SWARM. 1978. How common are ant-repellent nectars? Biotropica 10:238-239. FRANKIE, GW, WA HABER, I. BAKER, AND HG BAKER ...
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The Tiny Polygala plant was listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an endangered species in 1985. This report presents the results of a research project with the following objectives: (1) Review previous work on Tiny Polygala;... more
The Tiny Polygala plant was listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an endangered species in 1985. This report presents the results of a research project with the following objectives: (1) Review previous work on Tiny Polygala; (2) Develop techniques for horticultural propagation of Tiny Polygala; (3) Establish the distribution of Tiny Polygala on microhabitat patches and gradients; (4) Understand the stage class distribution of Tiny Polygala, including the seed bank; (5) Understand the demographic dynamics of Tiny Polygala, including calculating state transition probabilities and standard demographic parameters; and (6) Conduct an experimental introduction of Tiny Polygala into an appropriate site.
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In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican... more
In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican ethnobotany to the evolutionary ecology of complex interactions between ants and plants. His research was highly collaborative, forming strong bonds among those who shared his interests in how the web of life is organized. He inspired students through his mentoring in tropical ecology, mainly his lectures at the Instituto de Ecología AC (INECOL), and later at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV), his courses organized by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), and his talks at meetings, including the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC). Victor’s story is not over. It will continue to be traced through countless scientists who were inspired by Victor’s life and work.
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Research Interests: Botany, Plant Biology, Biology, Pollination, Endangered Species, and 4 moreFlora, Pollen, Selfing, and Petal
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Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Geography, Reproduction, Plant Biology, Biology, and 13 moreBrazil, Ecology, Pollination, Medicine, Inflorescence, Pollen, Animals, Insects, Arecaceae, Flowers, Fruit, Wind, and Ecosystem
ABSTRACT. Seven Inga species that occur in three adjacent forest types in cloud forest in Costa Rica have similar floral morphology. A comparative study of flowering phenology, floral biology, and visitor activity revealed that there is... more
ABSTRACT. Seven Inga species that occur in three adjacent forest types in cloud forest in Costa Rica have similar floral morphology. A comparative study of flowering phenology, floral biology, and visitor activity revealed that there is substantial overlap in flowering times of ...
Research Interests: Botany, Plant Biology, Biology, Phenology, Inga, and 3 moreSystematic botany, Mimosoideae, and Fabaceae
Research Interests: Botany, Evolutionary Biology, Plant Biology, Biology, Ecology, and 7 moreMutualism, Ants, Predation, Sugar, Nectar, Extrafloral Nectar, and calyx
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Ants are probably the most dominant insect family on earth, and flowering plants have been the dominant plant group on land for more than 100 million years. In recent decades, human activities have degraded natural environments with... more
Ants are probably the most dominant insect family on earth, and flowering plants have been the dominant plant group on land for more than 100 million years. In recent decades, human activities have degraded natural environments with unparalleled speed and scale, making it increasingly apparent that interspecific interactions vary not only under different ecological conditions and across habitats, but also according to anthropogenic global change. This is the first volume entirely devoted to the anthropogenic effects on the interactions between these two major components of terrestrial ecosystems. A first-rate team of contributors report their research from a variety of temperate and tropical ecosystems worldwide, including South, Central and North America, Africa, Japan, Polynesia, Indonesia and Australia. It provides an in-depth summary of the current understanding for researchers already acquainted with insect-plant interactions, yet is written at a level to offer a window into the ecology of ant-plant interactions for the mostly uninitiated international scientific community.
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Research Interests: Botany, Evolutionary Biology, Plant Biology, Biology, Ecology, and 3 moreVicia, Fabaceae, and Vicia Sativa
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ABSTRACT The white, tubular, fragrant flowers of Guettarda scabra (Rubiaceae), rough-leaved velvetseed, open in the evening and are visited by hawkmoths (Sphingidae). Flowers last for one day, and recent observations reveal that... more
ABSTRACT The white, tubular, fragrant flowers of Guettarda scabra (Rubiaceae), rough-leaved velvetseed, open in the evening and are visited by hawkmoths (Sphingidae). Flowers last for one day, and recent observations reveal that butterflies also visit these flowers. Hawkmoths hover over the flower and lower their proboscis into the corolla to collect the nectar. Butterflies land on the petals before inserting their proboscis and may transport pollen on their bodies as well as their mouthparts. We conducted an experiment to determine the importance of each of these guilds for pollination of G. scabra. We excluded day-time visitors from some inflorescences and night-time visitors from others on the same plants (with two controls: some open all the time and some bagged all the time). We maintained this regimen during the entire flowering period of the selected inflorescences over two months and compared fruit set among the treatments. The control-open inflorescences and the night-open inflorescences had substantially higher fruit set than day-open and control-bagged inflorescences. Mean fruit set of day-open plus night-open inflorescences approximated that of control-open inflorescences, and although the fruit set of day-open flowers was small, it differed from bagged controls. Fruit set in G. scabra is determined almost entirely by hawkmoths, but butterflies may be useful as secondary pollinators. As plants flower in months when afternoon and evening rains can extend into the night, morning pollinators may be important. This study provides additional evidence that diurnal pollinators can contribute to the reproduction of predominantly nocturnal pollinated plants.
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A field experiment was conducted with outplantings of the native perennial shrub Senna mexicana var. chapmanii in a semi-natural area adjacent to native pine rockland habitat in southern Florida. The presence of ants and the availability... more
A field experiment was conducted with outplantings of the native perennial shrub Senna mexicana var. chapmanii in a semi-natural area adjacent to native pine rockland habitat in southern Florida. The presence of ants and the availability of extrafloral nectar were manipulated in a stratified random design. Insect communities were monitored and recorded over a period of six months with a view to addressing three main questions. Do ants provide biotic defense against key herbivores on S. chapmanii? Is the presence of ants on S. chapmanii mediated by EFN? Finally, are there ecological costs associated with the presence of ants on S. chapmanii, such as a reduction in alternative predator or parasitoid numbers? Herbivores on S. chapmanii included immature stages of three pierid butterflies, and adult weevils. Eight species of ants were associated with the plants, and other predators included spiders, ladybugs, wasps, and hemipterans. Parasitic, haemolymph-sucking midges (Ceratopogonidae) and parasitoid flies were also associated with the caterpillar herbivores, and possibly the extrafloral nectaries of the plants. The presence of ants did not appear to influence oviposition by butterflies, as numbers of lepidopterans of all developmental stages did not differ among treatments. Significantly more late instar caterpillars, however, were observed on plants with ants excluded, indicating that ants remove small caterpillars from plants. Substantially more alternative predators (spiders, ladybugs, and wasps) were observed on plants with ants excluded. Rates of parasitization did not differ among the treatments, but there were substantially fewer caterpillars succumbing to virus among those collected from control plants. We provide a rare look at facultative ant-plant mutualisms in the context of the many other interactions with which they overlap. We conclude that ants provide some biotic defense against herbivores on S. chapmanii, and plants benefit overall from the presence of ants, despite negative impacts on non-ant predators
Research Interests: Ants, Virus, Plants, Herbivores, Parasitoids, and 3 morePredators, Caterpillars, and Extrafloral Nectaries
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Research Interests: Tropical Ecology, Biology, Ecology, Pollination, Phenology, and 5 moreTropical, Cloud Forest, Hummingbird, Shrub, and Dry Season
Previous field experiments have shown that, for the annual herb Vicia sativa, leaf area lost to herbivory results in reduced number of fruit (pods) produced per plant as well as fewer seeds per pod. We conducted a controlled garden... more
Previous field experiments have shown that, for the annual herb Vicia sativa, leaf area lost to herbivory results in reduced number of fruit (pods) produced per plant as well as fewer seeds per pod. We conducted a controlled garden experiment to determine the precise relationship between level of defoliation and various measures of maternal fitness through fruit and seed. We employed manual clipping of individual leaflets of newly produced leaves to 25% increments of damage (from 0% to 100%) over the entire period of development and flowering of these annual herbs, harvesting pods when filled but not dehisced. We found significant reduction in number of pods, number of seeds, total seed mass, and individual seed mass with leaf area lost. Even with the highest levels of defoliation over the life of the individual, plants still produced a substantial number of pods and seeds. Seeds produced by plants in all treatment groups showed similar percentages of germination and time to germina...
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Plants were established, then manipulated throughout the growing season, and weekly observations were made of arthropods. Columns of data are: Plant number; date; block; treatment (1 = TF = tanglefoot; 2 = C = control; 3 = NP = nail... more
Plants were established, then manipulated throughout the growing season, and weekly observations were made of arthropods. Columns of data are: Plant number; date; block; treatment (1 = TF = tanglefoot; 2 = C = control; 3 = NP = nail polish; 4 = NPC = nail polish control); status (plant alive, sick, dead); sulfurcp (eggs and larvae of Pieridae); flysuck (Ceratopogonidae); tortricid (larvae tying stem tips); spider; bug predators; wasp predators; ladybug (Cocinellidae); fire ants (Solenopsis); Tiny brown ants (Brachymyrmex); Large Black Ants (Camponotus rasilis & C. sexguttatus); Odontomyrmex; crazy ants (Paratrechina); Camponotus abdominalis; weevils; Pseudomyrmex elongatus; Pseudomyrmex mexicanus (=P. gracilis); snakes (occasionally around or in plants). For all ant species, Ceratopogonidae, weevils, only presence/absence on plant was noted (1 = present)
Research Interests: Ants, Virus, Plants, Herbivores, Parasitoids, and 3 morePredators, Caterpillars, and Extrafloral Nectaries
This study examined if weeds could serve as insectary plants to increase beneficial insect abundance and diversity in mango cultivation in southern Florida. Additionally, we examined how weed presence affects mango tree soil health. We... more
This study examined if weeds could serve as insectary plants to increase beneficial insect abundance and diversity in mango cultivation in southern Florida. Additionally, we examined how weed presence affects mango tree soil health. We found that weeds significantly increased pollinating and parasitoid insect abundance and diversity. Eight insect orders and eighteen families were significantly more abundant on mango trees with weeds growing beneath them than those where weeds were removed. There was no difference in predatory insects between treatments, and slightly more herbivorous insects on weedy mango trees. Pollinating insects visiting mango flowers in the weed treatment were significantly greater, as well as spiders on weedy mango trees. However, there were more lacewings (Neuroptera) observed on the mango trees without weeds, and leaf chlorophyll in the old and new mango leaves was significantly greater, in the weed-free treatment. Soil conditions, however, significantly impr...
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<p>Mean and standard error of numbers summed over the field season, over all plants, by treatment. Differences among treatments shown by ANOVA for count data. Treatments and sample sizes the same as in <a... more
<p>Mean and standard error of numbers summed over the field season, over all plants, by treatment. Differences among treatments shown by ANOVA for count data. Treatments and sample sizes the same as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0138157#pone.0138157.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a>.</p
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I love legumes and have studied them in many parts of the world, though never in the Great Plains. I hope to visit there someday soon, and when I do, I will certainly take this wonderful book. It not only introduces the climate, geology,... more
I love legumes and have studied them in many parts of the world, though never in the Great Plains. I hope to visit there someday soon, and when I do, I will certainly take this wonderful book. It not only introduces the climate, geology, and soils of the region, but also describes the prairies and how they were influenced by fire, especially prior to the ingress of European settlers and the transformation of much of the land to agriculture and grazing. The introduction also includes a review of the characteristics of legumes, with illustrations of the various terms used. Like most keys, the dichotomous ones in this book rely on reproductive material, though vegetative characteristics are also included. The book recognizes three subfamilies (Caesalpiniaceae, Fabaceae, and Mimosaceae), and authorities of the Latin names as well as synonymies are included. The authors also include the meanings of botanical names, adding interest for users of the volume. For each species a single common name has been selected, but other options are included in the text describing each, including names used by Great Plains Native Americans. It is useful that all the common names are included in the index, valuable for the variety of people who will use this book. The very best thing about this book is the beautiful pen and ink illustrations of more than 100 species, including reproductive features and details of flowers. The plant portraits by Bellamy Parks Jansen (the lion’s share), Regina O. Hughes, and Keith Westover are not only lovely but full of useful details, each with a distribution map in the upper corner of the page. I think that some readers might be tempted to take out their watercolors or colored pencils and embellish these drawings. Along with the detailed descriptions of each species, including flowering dates, I think it will be possible to determine any legume encountered. Ecological information about habitat, pollinators, and ethnobotanical details including potential uses for the plants can also be found. Many pages have a lot of white space, useful for those who like to make notes in their books. Many of the genera are represented by a single species in the Great Plains, and it was interesting for me to look up familiar names to see how these species compare to the ones we have in my region, southern Florida. The book has a very thorough and useful glossary, enabling users to understand the botanical terms, as well as ecological words and other words not commonly used. This is followed by an explanation of the abbreviations for nomenclature authorities, with a little information about the botanists as well. I learned about many botanists with whom I was not familiar, including Biago Bartalini (1746–1822), the director of the botanical garden in Siena, Italy. The book is indexed completely, with all scientific names and common names. When getting to know the flora of a new area, a book like this can help one learn a lot about one of the largest and most important plant families. This may be especially important to ecologists and land managers, as legumes play an important role in improving soil, and interacting with many kinds of animals. I recommend this book to any working in the Great Plains, as well as those who will visit, or want to compare the role of legumes in this region with other regions in the world.
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Data are insects collected and identified from mango trees with weeds below vs. those grown with weeds cleared below.
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The data file attached describes extrafloral nectar collected from Senna mexicana var. chapmanii plants in a greenhouse experiment conducted at Florida International University. The data set is made up of 12 columns described below. A.... more
The data file attached describes extrafloral nectar collected from Senna mexicana var. chapmanii plants in a greenhouse experiment conducted at Florida International University. The data set is made up of 12 columns described below. A. Plant number. Each plant used in the study has a designated number. B. Light treatment: C=clear film; S=shade film; R=shade film with increased far red/ red light ratio. C. Damage treatments: D=damage; C=no damage. D. Factorial treatment numbers: eg: 1= clear film + damage. E.F.G. Quantity of extrafloral nectar collected (E=µl; F=any additional portion of a µl tube filled with nectar; G=total nectar volume collected). H. Nectar concentration measured using a hand held refractometer. I. Sugar production calculated using volume and concentration data. J. Sugar mass (g)/µl K. Sugar mass(mg)/µl L. Total mass of sugar produced by each plant at each time of measuremen
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These data are for individual caterpillars 3rd instar and beyond collected from experimental plants and brought to the lab for rearing. Columns in the file are: Number (collection number, each caterpillar is a separate record, some... more
These data are for individual caterpillars 3rd instar and beyond collected from experimental plants and brought to the lab for rearing. Columns in the file are: Number (collection number, each caterpillar is a separate record, some multiple in one collection number - initially renumbered with decimals, that convention later abandoned); plant number (same as in other file); Collection date; Life History stage (instar); Caterpillar species (s.o. = sleepy orange, Abaeis nicippe; c.s. = cloudless sulfur, Phoebis sennae; o.b.s. = orange-barred sulfur, Phoebis philea); Pupated (yes/no); Pupation date; Adult M/F (No or sex); Parasitized; Virus; Moldy; Discontinued date; comments
Research Interests: Ants, Virus, Plants, Herbivores, Parasitoids, and 3 morePredators, Caterpillars, and Extrafloral Nectaries
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Inga densiflora and Inga punctata have foliar nectaries that promote protection against herbivores by ants. Nectar-drinking ants were found to be less active at higher elevations than at lower elevations in Costa Rica, and ant defense... more
Inga densiflora and Inga punctata have foliar nectaries that promote protection against herbivores by ants. Nectar-drinking ants were found to be less active at higher elevations than at lower elevations in Costa Rica, and ant defense less effective in upland populations of these trees. Herbivore damage to leaves was greater at higher elevations than at low elevation, although the abundance of lepidopteran larvae was not different. This study tested the hypothesis that lack of ant defense in Inga at high elevations is compensated for by alternative defenses. Upland I. densiflora and I. punctata had higher concentrations of phenolics in their leaves than their lowland counterparts. Extrafloral nectaries were found to be present and actively secreting nectar on plants at high as well as at low elevations. Adult wasp and fly parasitoid presence at nectar sources was greater at high elevations in the absence of ants, and parasitization of caterpillars reared from upland Inga was signifi...
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In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican... more
In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican ethnobotany to the evolutionary ecology of complex interactions between ants and plants. His research was highly collaborative, forming strong bonds among those who shared his interests in how the web of life is organized. He inspired students through his mentoring in tropical ecology, mainly his lectures at the Instituto de Ecología AC (INECOL), and later at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV), his courses organized by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), and his talks at meetings, including the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC). Victor’s story is not over. It will continue to be traced through countless scientists who were inspired by Victor’s life and work.
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Agriculture is dependent on insect pollination, yet in areas of intensive production agriculture, there is often a decline in plant and insect diversity. As native habitats and plants are replaced, often only the weeds or unwanted... more
Agriculture is dependent on insect pollination, yet in areas of intensive production agriculture, there is often a decline in plant and insect diversity. As native habitats and plants are replaced, often only the weeds or unwanted vegetation persist. This study compared insect diversity on mango, Mangifera indica, a tropical fruit tree dependent on insect pollination, when weeds were present in cultivation versus when they were removed mechanically. The pollinating insects on both weeds and mango trees were examined as well as fruit set and yield in both the weed-free and weedy treatment in South Florida. There were significantly more pollinators and key pollinator families on the weedy mango trees, as well as significantly greater fruit yield in the weedy treatment compared to the weed-free treatment. Utilizing weeds, especially native species, as insectary plants can help ensure sufficient pollination of mango and increase biodiversity across crop monocropping systems.
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Plants whose flowers open at night but remain open during the day also attract diurnal flower visitors, potentially boosting their pollination rates and providing resources that can support diverse arthropod communities. The rough-leaf... more
Plants whose flowers open at night but remain open during the day also attract diurnal flower visitors, potentially boosting their pollination rates and providing resources that can support diverse arthropod communities. The rough-leaf velvetseed, Guettarda scabra (Rubiaceae), is an evergreen shrub that thrives only in the imperiled pine rockland habitat in south Florida. Its white, tubular, and fragrant flowers open during late afternoon, exhibiting traits strongly associated with the attraction of nocturnal hawkmoths (Sphingidae). Flowers of G. scabra remain open until the following morning, becoming available to a wider array of visitors, bringing into question the expectation that sphingophilous flowers are visited mainly by hawkmoths. To evaluate whether the flowers of G. scabra are mainly visited by nocturnal hawkmoths and understand the role of this plant in the pine rockland habitat, we characterized the arthropod fauna associated with its flowers during the morning, evening...
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Weeds are widely seen in a negative light, as being unsightly and possibly pulling resources away from crop plants. Traditional farming practices use selected beneficial "weeds", however, to provide floral resources to... more
Weeds are widely seen in a negative light, as being unsightly and possibly pulling resources away from crop plants. Traditional farming practices use selected beneficial "weeds", however, to provide floral resources to beneficial insects and support them through added biodiversity within farms. The global annual economic value of insect pollination is enormous, with more than a third of all crops dependent on pollinators worldwide. This free ecosystem service is steadily declining as we face a global pollinator decline crisis in areas of intensive agriculture. The loss of natural resources through land conversion has decimated insect populations; therefore, there has been interest in enhancing pollinator populations by providing alternative non-crop resources to increase food production. Weeds may be useful in this goal, as they provide resources that attract and may maintain populations of pollinators. In this review, the possibility of using weeds in agriculture to incre...
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ABSTRACTApocynaceae are well-known for diverse specialized metabolites that are distributed in a phylogenetically informative manner. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) have been reported sporadically in one lineage in the family, the APSA... more
ABSTRACTApocynaceae are well-known for diverse specialized metabolites that are distributed in a phylogenetically informative manner. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) have been reported sporadically in one lineage in the family, the APSA clade, but few species had been studied to date. We conduct the first systematic survey of Apocynaceae for retronecine-type PAs, sampling leaves from 231 species from 13 of 16 major lineages within the APSA clade using HPLC-MS/MS. We also follow up on preliminary evidence for infra-specific variation of PA detectability in Echites umbellatus Jacq. Four precursor ion scans (PREC) were developed for a high-throughput survey for chemicals containing a structural moiety common to many PAs, the retronecine core. We identified with high confidence PAs in 7 of 8 sampled genera of tribe Echiteae, but not in samples from the closely related Odontadenieae and Mesechiteae, confirming the utility of PAs as a taxonomic character in tribal delimitation. The presence...