Guettarda

Abstract: The genus Guettarda (Guettardeae–Rubiaceae) comprises approximately 150 species, ranging from eastern Africa through the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the Neotropics. Sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region were used to test the monophyly of Guettarda and its relationships to closely related genera within Guettardeae. The results indicate that Guettarda and two smaller genera, Antirhea and Stenostomum, are polyphyletic. Most Guettarda species fall into two distinct groups: a Neotropical lineage that also includes the widespread Indo-Pacific strand species G. speciosa (the type of the genus), and a New Caledonian lineage that, along with Antirhea and Timonius, comprises a dioecious Paleotropical clade. The Hawaiian endemic Bobea, traditionally considered close to Timonius and assumed to be of Old World origin, appears to be more closely related to Neotropical Guettarda species, suggesting that dioecy may have evolved twice within the trib...

Abstract: Fossils of 134 taxa attributed to the Rubiaceae are described or mentioned in 115 publications dating from 1850 and from deposits as old as the Cretaceous and Paleocene. Close scrutiny of these records indicates, however, that the oldest and most likely (accepted) representatives of the family are four genera, Emmenopterys Oliv. from the Middle Eocene of Oregon and Washington, U.S.A., Faramea Aubl. from the Late Eocene of Panama, and Guettarda L. (cf. as †Guettardidites; †= fossil taxon) and Canthium Lam. (as †Rubipollis oblatus) from the Late Eocene of Australia, and a probable fifth genus, the alternate-leaved †Paleorubiaceophyllum eocenicum from the Middle Eocene of Tennessee/Kentucky, U.S.A. The record represents three subfamilies (Rubioideae, Ixoroideae, Cinchonoideae) from three widely separated geographic regions, implying an earlier origin in the Late Cretaceous or Paleocene. From the Oligocene, there are six accepted genera, Coprosma J. R. Forst. & G. Forst., Coprosma–Opercularia, Farame...

Abstract: Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) are among the major pollinators in tropical communities. Here the first survey of sphingids and related plants in Northeastern Brazil is presented. The sphingids were surveyed from March 1999 through April 2000 at the Reserva Biologica Guaribas, Mamanguape, Paraiba State. On black and mix light traps, 136 hawkmoths from 24 species were captured. Individuais of Erinnyis ello (Linnaeus, 1758), Isognathus menechus (Boisduval, 1875) and Xylophanes tersa (Linnaeus, 1771) represented 58% of the samples. One half of the recorded species show wide distribution in the Neotropics. Three species were registered for more than six months. Most of the species were found only in the dry or wet season. Pollen from 34 plant species were recorded by pollen analysis of sphingid mouth parts. Hancornia speciosa (Apocynaceae) and Guettarda platipoda (Rubiaceae) were the most important food plants. Both are characteristic elements of the Tabuleiro Nordestino and present typically sphingophilous flowers. More than one half of the sphingids presented pollen from only one or two species of plants. By transporting large quantities of pollen of a few species, hawkmoths seem to be the main pollinators of nocturnal flowers in the Tabuleiro Paraibano.