Molecular phylogenetic studies of palms (Arecaceae) have not yet provided a fully resolved phylogeny of the family. Ludeña et al. test the value of AGAMOUS 1 and PHYTOCHROME B genes as new nuclear markers to improve phylogenetic resolution in the family, using the subtribe Bactridinae as a case study. The results provide new insights into the [...]

The Hawaiian silversword alliance (Asteraceae) is one the best examples of a plant adaptive radiation, exhibiting extensive morphological and ecological diversity. Using subspecies of Dubautia laxa as an example, McGlaughlin & Friar show that genetic data demonstrates that members of the species have diverged primarily due to geographic isolation both within and among islands. Despite [...]

Translocation breakpoints in SSR-rich chromosomal regions Repetitive DNA sequences are thought to be involved in the formation of chromosomal rearrangements, which are important in polyploid speciation. Molnár et al. analyse the chromosomal distribution of microsatellite clusters in relation to the intergenomic translocations in the allotetraploids Aegilops biuncialis and Ae. geniculata. They find that translocation breakpoints [...]

How far can a gene disperse? Historical and contemporary gene dispersal can be estimated from spatial genetic structure and paternity analysis, and Rong et al. (pp. 285–296) find that an estimate of gene flow in Daucus carota ssp. carota based on contemporary pollen dispersal is much larger than an estimate of historical flow. The results [...]