Gotowa bibliografia na temat „Elaeocarpaceae”

<p>Se presenta una sinopsis del subgénero Quadrisepala del género Sloanea, para Bolivia, en la que reconocen once especies (Sloanea fendleriana, S. garckeana, S. gentryi, S. grandis, S. latifolia, S. laxiflora, S. porphyrocarpa, S. rojasiae, S. subsessilis, S. terniflora y S. uniflora), destacando que S. latifolia, S. porphyrocarpa y S. rojasiae son nuevos registros para la flora de Bolivia. Adicionalmente, se complementa la descripción original de S. subsessilis con la incorporación de caracteres del fruto y se proponen lectotipos para S. grandis y S. porphyrocarpa.</p>

Members of family Elaeocarpaceae are known for its medicinal properties since long back in traditional medicinal systems. Along with its medicinal usage it has also got spiritual importance due to its electromagnetic nature and mythological convictions. Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. is commonly known as Rudraksha in India. Phytochemical analysis has revealed the presence of many pharmaco-active constituents like tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates and acids in different extracts of plant parts. Several studies have been done to explore the pharmacological activities of different extracts of the members of Elaeocarpaceae family specially Rudraksha. In this review, we have tried to consolidate the available reports on the phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological properties of Elaeocarpus species.

Sloanea L. is the largest genus of Elaeocarpaceae in the New World and their species occurs from Mexico to Southern of Brazil. During the revision of the genus that we made for extra-Amazonian region of Brazil it was detected the need to organize its nomenclature, carried out in the present study which resulted in 48 valid names, 15 lectotypes here designated, 4 new synonyms and one illegitimate name. Additional comments on the genus, its geographical distribution, habitat type and season of flowering and fruiting are also provided.

Elaeocarpus gadgilii, a new species of Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpaceae) from the southern part of Western Ghats (India) is described. Detailed description, distribution, phenology and photographs are provided. The differences between the new species and the similar E. variabilis Zmarzty and E. serratus L. are also discussed.

Elaeocarpus L. is the largest genus of the family Elaeocarpaceae represented by about 350 species worldwide (Coode 2004: 142). The arboreal Old World genus is distributed in subtropical Asia and Pacific Islands to Australia and Madagascar except the African continent (Coode 2004: 137, 138).

Orientador: Vinicius Castro Souza
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
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Resumo: Elaeocarpaceae inclui 15 gêneros, com aproximadamente 500 espécies distribuídas em regiões tropicais e subtropicais do globo, em com exceção dos continentes africano e europeu. O gênero Sloanea reúne 120 táxons, dos quais cerca de 40 ocorrem no Brasil em diversos tipos de vegetação, principalmente na Floresta Amazônica e na Floresta Atlântica. O presente trabalho refere-se à revisão taxonômica das espécies neotropicais extra-amazônicas de Sloanea. A realização deste estudo constou de levantamento bibliográfico, consulta aos acervos dos principais herbários nacionais e estrangeiros, e expedições de coleta em áreas de ocorrência natural dos táxons do gênero. De um modo geral, com base na morfologia externa, a caracterização de Sloanea compreende árvores de grande porte dotadas de sapopemas, folhas simples, flores com sépalas que podem ou não cobrir órgãos reprodutivos na fase pré-antese, estames com prolongamento do conectivo conspícuo, que pode ser agudo, acuminado ou filiforme, frutos cobertos por cerdas rígidas ou flexíveis, algumas vezes inermes. Na revisão foram definidas 19 lectotipificações aqui desginadas, quatro novas sinonimizações, um nome duvidoso e a constatação de cinco nomes ilegítimos e seis nomes nus. Foram identificadas 17 espécies na área de estudo, sendo seis desconhecidas para a ciência: S. fasciculate, S. filiforms, S. hatschbachii, S. petala, S. subssesilis, S. uniflora.
Abstract: Elaeocarpaceae includes 15 genera, witch approximately 500 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the globe, except for African and European continents. Sloanea comprises 120 taxa, of witch about 40 occur in Brazil in several vegetation types, but mainly in the Amazon Forest and in the Atlantic Forest. This thesis revises the taxonomy of the neotropical species of extra-amazon Sloanea genus. This study consisted of literature review, consultation with the collections of major Brazilian and foreign herbaria, and collection expeditions in areas of natural occurrence of taxa of the genus. In general, based on external morphology, the characterization of Sloanea comprises large trees endowed with buttressed roots, simple leaves, flowers witch sepals that may cover or not the reproductive organs in pre-anthesis phasis, stamens with the connective continued into a small knob, acuminate, acute or filiform awn, fruit covered with rigid or flexible bristles, sometimes unarmed. In this thesis 19 lectotypes her designated were defined, and four new synonyms, one doubtful name, five illegitimate names and six nude names were found. From the 17 species that were identified in the studied area, six of them were unknown to science: S. fasciculate, S. filiforms, S. hatschbachii, S. petala, S. subssesilis, S. uniflora.
Universidade Estadual de Campi
Biologia Vegetal
Doutor em Biologia Vegetal

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Elaeocarpaceae includes 12 genera and 600 species of trees and shrubs distributed over the whole world with the exception of Africa and Europe. In Brazil, the family is represented by the genus Sloanea, with circa 40 species, and the genus Crinodendron with a single species native to the cloud forests of Santa Catarina in South Brazil. This work is a taxonomic treatment for the species of Sloanea occurring in the Ducke Reserve, located nearby Manaus, Central Amazon. The treatment includes identification to key species, followed by morphological descriptions, list of material examined, taxonomic and ecological notes, and illustrations and distribution maps for each species. To confirm the name of each species found in the area, I used published descriptions and keys from floras and monographs, illustrations and digital images of types. Eighteen species in total and three new species to science were recognized. Species differed on vegetative characters and it was possible to elaborate a key based only on these characters. Flower characters and mainly those from the stamen may be essential to allow the correct identification. Although some taxonomic problems could be solved by this study, the number of samples of Sloanea for the area remains low, making it difficult to understand the morphological similarities and differences among species. The lack of fertile material for one species (Sloanea sp. D) precluded its correct identification. More collections are needed for the diversity of Sloanea to be fully understood, not only from the Ducke Reserve, but over the whole Amazon region.
A família Elaeocarpaceae inclui 12 gêneros e aproximadamente 600 espécies de árvores e arbustos em todo o mundo, com exceção do continente africano e europeu. No Brasil, ocorre apenas o gênero Sloanea, com cerca de 40 espécies, e Crinodendron com uma espécie nativa das florestas nebulares de Santa Catarina. Este trabalho apresenta um tratamento taxonômico para as espécies de Sloanea que ocorrem na Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke localizada na Amazônia Central. Esse tratamento inclui chaves de identificação, descrições morfológicas, notas taxonômicas e ecológicas e ilustrações e mapas de distribuição geográfica das espécies de Sloanea. Para confirmação do nome das espécies, foram utilizadas descrições publicadas, ilustrações e imagens de tipos nomenclaturais. Foram reconhecidas 18 espécies das quais três são novas e uma é de nova ocorrência para a Reserva Florestal Ducke. O uso de caracteres vegetativos mostrou-se muito útil na identificação das espécies o que resultou na elaboração de uma chave de identificação somente com esses caracteres. Também foi construída uma chave de identificação com caracteres florais. Nesse aspecto, os caracteres das partes florais, principalmente dos estames, são essenciais para esclarecer dúvidas de identificações. Apesar dos problemas taxonômicos terem sido solucionados neste trabalho, o baixo número de amostras bem como a ausência de materiais férteis dificultou as observações de variações morfológicas para quatro espécies. A falta de material fértil para S. sp. D impediu sua correta determinação e posicionamento. Muitas coletas ainda necessitam serem realizadas, não só na Reserva Florestal Ducke, mas em toda a Amazônia para que tratamentos taxonômicos sejam mais robustos e mais próximos da realidade.

A phytochemical survey to detect alkaloids was performed on extracts of 339 discrete plants parts from a total of 77 species from five genera of Elaeocarpaceae, including 30 species from Queensland, 38 from PNG, and nine from China. An alkaloid detecting reagent, bismuth (III) tetraiodide (Dragendorff's reagent) was used in a preliminary test for alkaloids, with positive ESIMS used to confirm the presence of alkaloids. A total of 35 extracts of various plant parts produced positive results with Dragendorff's reagent. Positive ESIMS detected alkaloids in only 13 of these extracts. Bismuth (III) tetraiodide was demonstrated to produce false positive results with the new non-alkaloidal poly-oxygenated compounds 112 and 113, which were purified from the extract of Sloanea tieghemii. Two new alkaloid producing species, Elaeocarpus habbeniensis, and E. fuscoides were detected from the survey. These species were chemically investigated for the first time. Two other previously investigated species, E. grandis and Peripentadenia mearsii, were also studied. A total of 16 alkaloids, 11 of which are new, were purified from the extracts of these four species. The novel pyrrolidine alkaloids habbenine (114) and peripentonine (123), were isolated from the leaves of E. habbeniensis and Peripentadenia mearsii, respectively. Both of these compounds were purified as inseparable mixtures of diastereomers. The new pyrrolidine alkaloid mearsamine 1 (124), and the novel amino alkaloid mearsamine 2 (125), were also purified from the leaves of P. mearsii. The known pyrrolidine alkaloid peripentadenine (81), was purified from the bark of P. mearsii. Peripentonine (123) was reduced to peripentadenine (81) upon reaction with Pd/C. Four aromatic indolizidine alkaloids were isolated from the extract of the leaves of E. fuscoides. One new compound, elaeocarpenine (122), was isolated from this New Guinean plant. Three known Elaeocarpus alkaloids, isoelaeocarpicine (62), elaeocarpine (60) and isoelaeocarpine (61) were also purified from E. fuscoides. Elaeocarpenine (122) was demonstrated to produce the epimeric compounds elaeocarpine and isoelaeocarpine via reaction with ammonia. The chemical investigation of the Queensland plant E. grandis by two separate purification procedures was performed. An SCX/C18 isolation protocol was used to purify the new indolizidine alkaloids grandisine C (127), D (126), and E (128), in conjunction with the known tetracyclic indolizidine isoelaeocarpiline (63). The second purification of E. grandis was achieved with the use of ammonia in an acid/base partitioning protocol. Grandisine F (129) and G (130), and compounds 131a and b were purified by this procedure, as were 63, 126 and 127. Grandisine F and G were proposed to be ammonia adducts of grandisine D (126). Compound 131a and b were isolated as a mixture of diastereomers. The reduction of grandisine D (126) with Pd/C yielded a mixture of isoelaeocarpine (61) and elaeocarpine (60), whereas the reduction of isoelaeocarpiline (63) produced isoelaeocarpine (61). All of the alkaloids isolated from the Elaeocarpaceae, except grandisine E (128) and 131a and b, were evaluated for binding affinity against the human ? opioid receptor. Every compound except mearsamine 2 (125) possessed a binding affinity of less than 100 ?M. The most active compounds were grandisine F (129), D (126), C (127), elaeocarpenine (122), isoelaeocarpine (61), isoelaeocarpiline (63) and peripentadenine (81). The IC50 values for these compounds were 1.55, 1.65, 14.6, 2.74, 13.6, 9.86 and 11.4 ?M, respectively. The SAR of the active compounds was compared. These observations indicated that the indolizidine alkaloids were more active than the pyrrolidine alkaloids, and a phenol or ketone at position C-12 of the indolizidine alkaloids produced better binding affinity. All of these alkaloids, except 129, were proposed to interact with two of the three binding domains of the ? opioid receptor. Grandisine F (129) was proposed to have a different mode of action than the other alkaloids in the series. Synthetic modifications to isoelaeocarpine (61) and peripentadenine (81) were investigated in an attempt to incorporate an extra aromatic group into these molecules. An extra aromatic group was proposed to provide increased binding affinity to the ? opioid receptor by interaction with the third binding domain of the receptor. Two different aromatic amines were successfully attached to peripentadenine (81) by a reductive amination reaction using NaBH(OAc)3 and a titanium catalyst. The reductive amination of the ketone in isoelaecarpine (61) with various amines and NaBH(OAc)3 or NaBH4 proved unsuccessful.

A phytochemical survey to detect alkaloids was performed on extracts of 339 discrete plants parts from a total of 77 species from five genera of Elaeocarpaceae, including 30 species from Queensland, 38 from PNG, and nine from China. An alkaloid detecting reagent, bismuth (III) tetraiodide (Dragendorff's reagent) was used in a preliminary test for alkaloids, with positive ESIMS used to confirm the presence of alkaloids. A total of 35 extracts of various plant parts produced positive results with Dragendorff's reagent. Positive ESIMS detected alkaloids in only 13 of these extracts. Bismuth (III) tetraiodide was demonstrated to produce false positive results with the new non-alkaloidal poly-oxygenated compounds 112 and 113, which were purified from the extract of Sloanea tieghemii. Two new alkaloid producing species, Elaeocarpus habbeniensis, and E. fuscoides were detected from the survey. These species were chemically investigated for the first time. Two other previously investigated species, E. grandis and Peripentadenia mearsii, were also studied. A total of 16 alkaloids, 11 of which are new, were purified from the extracts of these four species. The novel pyrrolidine alkaloids habbenine (114) and peripentonine (123), were isolated from the leaves of E. habbeniensis and Peripentadenia mearsii, respectively. Both of these compounds were purified as inseparable mixtures of diastereomers. The new pyrrolidine alkaloid mearsamine 1 (124), and the novel amino alkaloid mearsamine 2 (125), were also purified from the leaves of P. mearsii. The known pyrrolidine alkaloid peripentadenine (81), was purified from the bark of P. mearsii. Peripentonine (123) was reduced to peripentadenine (81) upon reaction with Pd/C. Four aromatic indolizidine alkaloids were isolated from the extract of the leaves of E. fuscoides. One new compound, elaeocarpenine (122), was isolated from this New Guinean plant. Three known Elaeocarpus alkaloids, isoelaeocarpicine (62), elaeocarpine (60) and isoelaeocarpine (61) were also purified from E. fuscoides. Elaeocarpenine (122) was demonstrated to produce the epimeric compounds elaeocarpine and isoelaeocarpine via reaction with ammonia. The chemical investigation of the Queensland plant E. grandis by two separate purification procedures was performed. An SCX/C18 isolation protocol was used to purify the new indolizidine alkaloids grandisine C (127), D (126), and E (128), in conjunction with the known tetracyclic indolizidine isoelaeocarpiline (63). The second purification of E. grandis was achieved with the use of ammonia in an acid/base partitioning protocol. Grandisine F (129) and G (130), and compounds 131a and b were purified by this procedure, as were 63, 126 and 127. Grandisine F and G were proposed to be ammonia adducts of grandisine D (126). Compound 131a and b were isolated as a mixture of diastereomers. The reduction of grandisine D (126) with Pd/C yielded a mixture of isoelaeocarpine (61) and elaeocarpine (60), whereas the reduction of isoelaeocarpiline (63) produced isoelaeocarpine (61). All of the alkaloids isolated from the Elaeocarpaceae, except grandisine E (128) and 131a and b, were evaluated for binding affinity against the human ? opioid receptor. Every compound except mearsamine 2 (125) possessed a binding affinity of less than 100 ?M. The most active compounds were grandisine F (129), D (126), C (127), elaeocarpenine (122), isoelaeocarpine (61), isoelaeocarpiline (63) and peripentadenine (81). The IC50 values for these compounds were 1.55, 1.65, 14.6, 2.74, 13.6, 9.86 and 11.4 ?M, respectively. The SAR of the active compounds was compared. These observations indicated that the indolizidine alkaloids were more active than the pyrrolidine alkaloids, and a phenol or ketone at position C-12 of the indolizidine alkaloids produced better binding affinity. All of these alkaloids, except 129, were proposed to interact with two of the three binding domains of the ? opioid receptor. Grandisine F (129) was proposed to have a different mode of action than the other alkaloids in the series. Synthetic modifications to isoelaeocarpine (61) and peripentadenine (81) were investigated in an attempt to incorporate an extra aromatic group into these molecules. An extra aromatic group was proposed to provide increased binding affinity to the ? opioid receptor by interaction with the third binding domain of the receptor. Two different aromatic amines were successfully attached to peripentadenine (81) by a reductive amination reaction using NaBH(OAc)3 and a titanium catalyst. The reductive amination of the ketone in isoelaecarpine (61) with various amines and NaBH(OAc)3 or NaBH4 proved unsuccessful.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Science
Full Text

The genus Elaeocarpus (family Elaeocarpaceae) comprises 350 – 400 species most of which are rainforest trees distributed in palaeo-tropical regions (except mainland Africa). The morphology of Elaeocarpus has been well documented and has been the basis for the intuitive infrageneric classification systems developed to date. The phylogenetics and evolutionary history of Elaeocarpus have received limited attention, however. Phylogenetic studies to date have been based on few markers and species sampling that was very restricted and biased towards Australian taxa. This thesis uses a much-expanded sample size including representatives from various biogeographical regions and a large DNA sequence dataset comprising over 3000 bp from four regions (plastid psbA-trnH intergenic spacer, trnL-trnF region and trnV-ndhC intergenic spacer, and nuclear Xdh) to address the following aims: (1) investigate phylogenetic relationships between and within Elaeocarpus using both non-parametric (maximum parsimony), and parametric model-based (maximum likelihood and Bayesian Inference) methods, (2) trace the transformation of seed morphological characters (embryo shape and endosperm ornamentation), which are considered as superior in the current infrageneric classifications, on the estimated phylogeny to identify morphological synapomorphies for molecular clades, and (3) estimate the divergence times of lineages, infer the origins and explain current distribution patterns of the genus using an uncorrelated lognormal relaxed molecular clock and five fossil calibration points (four in Elaeocarpus and one in Sloanea). Extending from the molecular evidence developed here, this study also aimed to delimit taxon boundaries within the polystachyus group (i.e. the polystachyus clade + E. polystachyus or the Elaeocarpus polystachyus complex) using morphometrics, a statistically testable and repeatable method and then to compare congruency between the results of the morphometrics and the alpha taxonomy. Finally, this study aimed to provide precursory evidence that morphological similarities within the polystachyus group are not correlated with ecological adaptations, and each taxon does maintained its own morphological characteristics but the observation of these characters might have been limited by the alpha taxonomy method. The results provide strong support for the monophyly of Elaeocarpus and for its sister relationship with Aceratium. Within the Elaeocarpus clade, E. holopetalus is resolved as a distinct lineage that is placed sister to the remainder of the taxa. Apart from E. holopetalus, a total of 13 main lineages or clades are resolved: E. sedentarius, the obovatus, section Elaeocarpus, ganitrus, group VI, monocera, group VII, group XI subgroup B, acronodia, polystachyus, coilopetalum, New Zealand and New Caledonian groups. All of the clades resolved in the present study are broadly congruent with the current infrageneric classifications, except the obovatus and the New Zealand clades, which are part of group V subgroup D. The parsimony reconstructions of the ancestral states of two selected seed morphological characters, embryo shape and endosperm ornamentation indicate that both are homoplasious at higher taxonomic levels (i.e. genus level and above), although the curved embryo is homologous within Elaeocarpus (excluding E. holopetalus). The large sample size with many representatives from various biogeographic regions and much-improved resolution of the phylogenetic relationships within Elaeocarpus provided a strong foundation to investigate the spatio-temporal evolution of this genus comprehensively for the first time. Elaeocarpaceae and its sister (Cunoniaceae + Cephalotaceae) diverged in the late Cretaceous, and diversification within the family (the crown age) is estimated to have begun at c. 83 Mya. Within the family, most of the infrafamilial lineages resolved are congruent with the current infrafamilial groupings (Coode 2004): the Sloanea alliance (Vallea, Aristotelia and Sloanea), the Tremandraceous genera (Platytheca, Tetratheca and Tremandra), and the Elaeocarpus alliance (Sericolea, Aceratium and Elaeocarpus). The exception is the Crinodendron alliance; Crinodendron and Peripentadenia formed a clade but Dubouzetia was placed sister to a clade comprising the Tremandraceous genera and the Elaeocarpus alliance. The results of historical biogeographic analysis using Fitch parsimony and Dispersal-Extinction-Cladogenesis methods, and molecular dating analysis using Bayesian relaxed-clock methods suggest that Elaeocarpus diverged from its sister – Aceratium – in the Eocene in Australia. Early diversification of Elaeocarpus in Australia occurred when the continent was still at high latitudes and largely covered with megathermal rainforests. Following this, migration events occurred to the surrounding regions, i.e. New Guinea, Central Malesia, West Malesia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands, and further northwards into continental Asia and Madagascar probably via West Malesia. Several reversal migrations are also postulated. Radiation of Elaeocarpus within New Guinea and Borneo, the two current centres of species diversity, may have coincided with mountain building in the Miocene. Geological and climatic changes and zoochorous dispersal mechanisms are hypothesised to have played major roles in shaping the present- day palaeo-tropical distribution patterns of Elaeocarpus. The polystachyus group (i.e. the Elaeocarpus polystachyus complex) comprises six species (E. cupreus, E. clementis, E. integripetalus, E. multinervosus, E. polyanthus and E. polystachyus) and four varieties (E. clementis varieties clementis, borneensis, clemensiae and kostermansii). All are endemic to West Malesia and share a unique combination of morphological character states, including numerous, unawned stamens that are densely arranged in multiple tiers. Most members of this informal infrageneric group form a clade in the phylogenetic analysis, except E. polystachyus; while no DNA samples were available for E. clementis var. kostermansii, E. integripetalus and E. polyanthus. The group is morphologically well defined and phylogenetically broadly supported, but taxon boundaries within it are unclear. The results of the morphometric analysis and the alpha taxonomy are broadly congruent in supporting six species, but the infraspecific taxa appear to be unsupported. Additionally, the hypothesis proposed in this study where morphological similarities within the polystachyus group are not correlated with ecological adaptations appeared to be supported by the morphometric evidence. This suggests that the morphological differences observed are predominantly genetically, rather than environmentally, controlled.

An important role of taxonomy is to document the biological world by discovering and determining the relationships of, and formally describing, organisms. This not only enhances our knowledge of biodiversity, but also provides fundamental information for other disciplines. The aim was to increase the understanding of the hierarchical relationships within the rainforest tree genus Elaeocarpus as the basis for a better understanding of the evolutionary processes that have given rise to the extant diversity. An hierarchical approach using different methods and datasets for different taxonomic questions was employed: phylogenetics, population genetics, morphometrics and traditional descriptive taxonomy. The phylogenetic relationships of Elaeocarpaceae were investigated using nucleotide sequences of two plastid intergenic spacers, trnL-trnF and trnV-ndhC, and the nuclear encoded Internal Transcribed Spacer region. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the combined plastid and nuclear data with enhanced taxon sampling produced a more detailed estimate of relationships within Elaeocarpaceae than previous studies. Monophyly of all the genera of Elaeocarpaceae except Elaeocarpus, Aceratium and Sericolea was confirmed. Elaeocarpus, Aceratium and Sericolea formed a strongly supported clade in the multigene tree in the Bayesian analysis but the determination of taxonomic rank for each group requires further investigation. Some morphological groups such as Group V Subgroup A, Group VI Subgroup B and part of Group XI subgroup B proposed by Coode (1984) were each strongly supported as monophyletic based on the separate marker data sets as well as the combined data set. Additionally, samples of the Elaeocarpus obovatus species complex (Group V D + E. coorangooloo) formed a monophyletic group strongly supported in most analyses. Some clades showed correlation with geography. These areas are New Caledonia-Pacific and Asia. The phylogenetic study provided an evolutionary framework within which to place the undescribed taxa in Australia. The undescribed taxa sampled for this study now have their positions in their respective groups confirmed: E. sp. Mt Misery was nested in Group VI B; E. Mt. Windsor Tableland was placed in Group XI Subgroup B. Further investigation of these entities was beyond the scope of this study, partly because insufficient material was available for a thorough analysis. With the aim to solve long-standing problems of taxonomic delimitation within the E. obovatus species complex (Group V D + E. coorangooloo), genetic variation, diversity and relatedness were assessed using a population genetics approach with established microsatellite markers. While there needs a validation from other data source to confirm microsatellite profiles suggested that E. arnhemicus and E. obovatus may be tetraploids. Because the appropriate methodology for analysing polyploid and diploid species together in population genetics is yet to be standardised, a synthesis of three different approaches was utilised in this study: similarity based analysis (PCoA), model based analysis (STRUCTURE), hypothesis testing (Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) using Φ(PT) and Multigroup Discriminant Function Analysis (MDFA)). Elaeocarpus arnhemicus was supported as an entity distinct from the other two groups by the cluster analyses, AMOVA (Φ(PT)= 0.43) and MDFA. All of the E. obovatus populations are weakly supported as a single entity by the majority of the clustering methods, and this group is strongly supported as distinct from E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker based on AMOVA (Φ(PT)= 0.31) and MDFA. Although some differentiation was found between E. obovatus North and South populations in the STRUCTURE analysis, it was decided that as a working hypothesis E. obovatus should be regarded as a single genetic entity because there exists a large sampling gap between them. STRUCTURE analysis detected some genetic admixture between E. arnhemicus and E. obovatus, E. sp. Mt Bellenden Ker and E. coorangooloo, and between E. obovatus and E. sp. Mt. Bellenden Ker. AMOVA indicated only up to 23 % of the variation was shared between each pair, with the likely explanation being retained ancestral polymorphism in both cases. Taken together the results suggest that there are three distinct genetic groups corresponding to E. arnhemicus, E. obovatus, and E. sp. Mt. Bellenden Ker. Morphological variation within the E. obovatus complex was evaluated against the working hypothesis (the existence of three entities) that resulted from the population genetic study. The results of PCA, PCoA, Cluster analysis, Multigroup Discriminant Function Analysis and Classification Tree analysis revealed that E. obovatus, E. arnhemicus, and E. sp. Mt. Bellenden Ker are morphologically discrete on the basis of fruit and vegetative characters. Taken together, the results of both the genetic and morphological analyses indicate that recognition of E. sp. Bellenden Ker at species rank is justified. Hence the two named species, E. obovatus and E. arnhemicus, are maintained and E. sp. Mt. Bellenden Ker is newly described as E. biracemosus Y.Baba & Crayn. A dichotomous key to all entities and fully revised accounts of E. arnhemicus, E. coorangooloo and E. obovatus are provided. A detailed investigation of the long-standing putatively recognised taxon E. sp. Mossman Bluff (D.G.Fell 1666) was undertaken and resulted in the description of a new species from the Australian Wet Tropics. The taxon was formally named E. hylobroma Y.Baba & Crayn and a full description and a line drawing of the species was produced. The position of this species as sister to the morphologically distinct Group V was strongly supported by Bayesian analysis of the combined sequence data plus indel data. Since the broader relationships of this clade are unclear, the species was tentatively assigned to Group V with the subgroup assignment suspended until more evidence becomes available.

Janet Gagul investigated the evolution of the tree genus Elaeocarpus. She used molecular and morphological datasets to determine the relationships among the living species and reconstruct the evolution of fruit types which allows fossils to be more accurately interpreted. She also described a new species of Elaeocarpus from Australia.