Research Training Program

Irene Liao
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California

Robert B. Faden, Ph.D.
Supervising Scientist
Department of Botany

"Whether I was frantically taking pictures during the collection tours or making thin sections of leaves, the Research Training Program has exposed me to many aspects of natural history and provided me with numerous memorable experiences that will undoubtedly impact my future."

Hybrid or Species: A Rare Plant from Thailand

Flowers from the plant family Commelinaceae, which includes dayflowers, wandering jews, spiderworts, and their relatives, are incredibly charismatic. They open for only a few hours in one day, thus the common name "dayflowers." A genus in this family, Murdannia comprises nearly 50 species and has a worldwide distribution with its center of diversity in South East Asia. Distinguishing it from other genera in the family is the presence of 3 fertile stamens attached in front of the sepals alternating with 3 sterile stamens (staminodes) attached in front of the petals. Murdannia discreta, a rare plant found mainly in Thailand, resembles two widespread Asian species, M. edulis and M. japonica, and share the additional character of having three ridges on the sepals. But is this plant a rare species or a possible hybrid between M. edulis and M. japonica? Using a mixture of traditional and modern techniques, these plants were compared in leaf anatomy, morphology, chromosomes, and flowering times. While thin leaf cross sections and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images do not reveal any important differences among the three plants, preliminary chromosome counts suggest a close relationship of all three species. Overlapping flowering times of the plants in the afternoon also confirm the feasibility for hybridization to occur between M. edulis and M. japonica. Along with the information collected from these observations, DNA sequences will ultimately be included in the study to further clarify the relationships among these three taxa, increasing the understanding of how speciation can occur and contribute to the biodiversity in the world. Furthermore, several plants in this Murdannia have medicinal uses - correctly identifying these plants and conserving them are important to the livelihoods of the local people and the development of future medicines.

This research was supported by a generous donation from the Honorable Max Berry.