BotanyAislinn Mumford

Evolution of Color in Palicourea, a Genus of Neotropical Flowering Plants

Palicourea, the hyper-diverse genus of Neotropical flowering plants, will serve as a model to better understand how fruit and flower traits have dynamically evolved across space and time with fieldwork in Colombia. The genus Palicourea, of the coffee family Rubiaceae, is notable for having brightly colored flowers, variously colored fruits, and a high frequency of co-occurrence between species within ecological communities. This project aims to 1) construct a phylogeny, 2) identify possible drivers of fruit trait diversity, and 3) explore whether this diversity in reproductive traits is allowing so many species to coexist. Using Palicourea as a model, this project will explore broad biogeographical trends and macroevolution of fruit traits, filling in the gap of field studies characterizing the role reproductive traits play in facilitating niche overlap.