Anaphalis

Abstract: Anaphalis is the largest Asian genus in the tribe Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae) and has its greatest species diversity in the eastern Himalayas. The nuclear internal and external transcribed spacers were sequenced for Anaphalis species, with an emphasis on the eastern Himalayan taxa to examine the monophyly and construct the phylogenetic relationships of and within the genus. The results suggest that all species of Anaphalis are nested with Helichrysum, showing a close relationship with a Mediterranean-Asian group of Helichrysum. Although the monophyly of Anaphalis is only weakly supported, two clades within the genus are well recognized, each consisting of two subgroups. The inferred phylogenetic relationships within Anaphalis correspond to the shape of leaf base, rather than the morphology of the capitula and phyllaries that are usually used for species delimitation and classification in the genus. All four subgroups of Anaphalis are common and diversified in the eastern Himalayas with multiple dispersals out of this region. The sole North American species of Anaphalis is best hypothesized to be the result of long-distance dispersal or overland migration via Bering land bridge from Asia. Our analyses suggest that the extant distribution of Anaphalis has most likely resulted one radiation into the eastern Himalayas followed by repeated independent dispersals and/or radiations mostly into eastern Asia but also into the western Himalayas, North America, and southeast Asia.

Abstract: Seventy-nine individuals representing all species of Raoulia, Ewartia, and Leucogenes, and selected species of Anaphalis, Cassinia, Gnaphalium, Helichrysum, Mniodes, and Pseudognaphalium, ...

Abstract: -Substrates deposited during the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens are being colonized by numerous plant species. Anaphalis margaritacea and Epilobium angustifolium are herbaceous species that are common colonists on lower elevation pyroclasic flows (Pumice Plains). Previous studies have shown that exogenous seed rain of E. angustifolium is higher than that of A. margaritacea on to the Pumice Plains but the abundance of individual colonists is reversed. This study compared water relations, nutrient relations, mycorrhizal associations and root morphology of these species to determine factors controlling seedling establishment on the Pumice Plains. Diurnal patterns of water potential were similar between the two species, and turgor loss points of -1.3 to -1.4 MPa indicate that neither species is particularly drought-tolerant. Anaphalis margaritacea had higher leaf conductance and closed stomata at lower water potentials than E. angustifolium. There was a strong growth response to nitrogen-amended, but not to phosphorus-amended, pyroclastic material by both species, with a significantly greater response in E. angustifolium. On the Pumice Plains, mycorrhizal associations were not found on plants of either species, but in a nearby clear-cut forest, mycorrhizal infection rates were high for both species. Four-week-old seedlings of A. margaritacea developed a deeper, more branched root system and had a higher relative growth rate in low nitrogen pyroclastic soils than E. angustifolium. This morphological attribute appears to be an important reason why A. margaritaceae is the more successful colonizer at Mount St. Helens.

Abstract: A tree based on DNA sequences from the ITS region of rDNA of New Zealand members of the tribe Gnaphalieae is presented. The tree supports recognition of the genus Anaphalioides. The closest relatives of this genus are other New Zealand gnaphalioid genera: Leucogenes, Raoulia, Ewartia, and species currently assigned to Helichrysum. The tree suggests that there were at least four dispersal events to New Zealand of ancestors to the present gnaphalioid flora. The tree provides information on the relationships of other New Zealand genera in the Gnaphalieae: that Ewartiothamnus (Ewartia sinclairii) is not a sister genus to Ewartia, that Leucogenes is not a sister genus to Leontopodium, and that the New Zealand whipcord Helichrysum species do not belong in Ozothamnus.