Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
8-2009
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Timothy D. McDowell
Committee Members
Christopher Liu, Foster Levy
Abstract
The genus Tsuga is comprised of eight extant species found in North America and East Asia and four species represented by fossils from Europe and Japan. This study presents the first phylogenetic analysis based on structural, biochemical, and molecular sequence data. Characters obtained from published and unpublished literature were combined with new morphological characters from seeds, seedlings, and leaf cuticle material. Results from parsimony analyses of these characters differed from the published molecular based phylogeny. The non-molecular based phylogeny resolves two separate clades, a North American and an Asian, but did not group the western North American species, as in the molecular based analysis. Character states were traced on the trees to interpret character evolution. The combined analysis resulted in a phylogeny that differed from the previously published molecular tree by resolving a clade between T. caroliniana and T. diversifolia and placing T. dumosa outside of the Asian clade.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Baker, Jordan David, "A Phylogenetic Analysis of Species Relationships in Hemlocks, the Genus Tsuga (Pinaceae)." (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1791. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1791
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.