C. Joe, The preliminary data that we have based on ITS sequences show two migrations out of Mexico, one of which gaved rise to the SE U.S. group (excluding H. latifolia) and the other the Caribbean complex (inc. H. latifolia). At the base of the clades are southern Caribbean/northern South American species like H. speciosa and H. tubiflora. Interestingly, H. glauca (one of my favorite Mexican species) is sister to the other two Mexican clades. Gerald Smith and I hope to get this written up for the next Herbertia. Alan ----- Original Message ----- From: <ConroeJoe@aol.com> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 1:06 PM Subject: [pbs] Re: H. littoralis, now H. caribaea > Hi Gang, > > I'm happy with the collective wisdom of this group, but have to give a nod to > K. Preuss. That was a fast, and apparently accurate, ID and it was based on > text only (no photo). > > Here is a photo of H. caribaea, and it is an exact match for my plant, a > photo of H. caribaea, the leaves are a perfect match too (even the tips, texture, > etc.). > http://cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/… > > The more I read about Hymenocallis it seems as though the US populations (and > maybe others) could have exploded north after the last ice age, occupying > numerous new habitats and locations. This could explain why species boundaries > are fuzzy sometimes; they are still working it out themselves. > > USA and northern Mexico populations of Oak, Opuntia, Agave and other genera > can also be explained by the "explosion out of Mexico" theory. The problem of > course is that such groups don't fit into neat species definitions. > Hybridization, recombination, and hybrid dysgenesis-type events, can all scramble > lineages. It is quite easy for plant groups hybridize with cousin species and for > the resultant progeny to then exchange DNA with grandparent species. > Interpretation of DNA data is dependent upon the assumption of having a correct > molecular clocks, an assumption that seem impossible to make when plants won't > behave. I'm reminded of the song, "I'm my own grandpa." > > > Cordially, > > C.J. A 30-50% chance of rain predicted all week, daytime 90-95 F > > > LINKS > > Tree of Life Web Project > http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html > > Some Definitions of Species > http://www.adera.be/fish/whatspecies.html > > Assumptions of Molecular Phylogney > > http://genome.uc.edu/genome/HelpPages/… > > Lyrics, I'm My Own Grandpa > http://geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/… > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > >