Evolution and biogeography of Pleurophyllum (Astereae, Asteraceae), a small genus of megaherbs endemic to the subantarctic islands

Pleurophyllum, a small genus of megaherbs endemic to the subantarctic islands of Australia and New Zealand, likely survived Pleistocene glaciation on these islands and dispersed northward in response to glacial advance. This study provides strong evidence for this hypothesis through phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from four genes (ITS, ETS, trnK, and trnL). The research suggests that the subantarctic islands served as refugia for Antarctic plants, preserving remnants of a once-diverse flora. By reconstructing the genus's evolutionary history, the study sheds light on the biogeographical patterns of austral plant groups and the role of Antarctica in shaping southern hemisphere plant distributions.

Wagstaff, S. J., Breitwieser, I., & Ito, M. (2010). Evolution and biogeography of Pleurophyllum (Astereae, Asteraceae), a small genus of megaherbs endemic to the subantarctic islands. American Journal of Botany, 98(1), 62–75. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1000238