TAXONOMY, PHYLOGENY AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF PHILIPPINE ALOCASIA (SCHOTT) G.

DON (ARACEAE)
Melanie P. Medecilo Domingo A. Madulid

ARACEAE

Jacobsen, 2009

Patil, 2009

Araceae

How do we identify an Alocasia?

Alocasia
more than 100 species occurring in subtropical eastern Himalayas throughout subtropical and tropical Asia into tropical western Pacific and Northern Australia (Boyce, 2008) lowland tropical plant occurring in 0 2000 masl Borneo center of node of diversity Philippines 2nd most speciesrich subregion in Malesia

METHODS
Morphological studies

Anatomical studies
Palynological studies

Phylogenetic analyses
Taxonomic revision

RESULTS

Morphology
Growth Forms

Leaf shape and margin

Inflorescence characteristics

Arrangement of ovary and type of stigma

Appearance of synandria

Texture and color of appendix

Infructescence

LEAF ANATOMY

Transverse section of petiole

A. clypeolata Hay

A. boyceana Hay

A. portei Schott

A. maquilingensis Merrill

Central vascular strand, air chambers, crystal type

Lamina

A. clypeolata

A. micholitziana

A. scalprum A. zebrina

Exine surface

Phylogenetic tree based on four regions using maximum likelihood inference . Zebrina

Sanderiana

Macrorrhizos

Heterophylla

Distribution and number of species of Alocasia in the Philippines

Batanes

N. Luzon E Luzon

Cordillera

C Luzon

S Luzon

Mindoro

W Visayas
Palawan

E Visayas

E Mindanao

W Mindanao

C Mindanao

Alocasia atropurpurea Engl.

Alocasia sanderiana W. Bull

Alocasia sinuata N.E. Brown

CONCLUSION
Morphological characters can be used in delimiting taxa while leaf anatomical characters shows continuous variation.

Using phenetic analyses, 4 main clusters were derived based on combined characters from morphology, leaf anatomy and palynology. Philippine Alocasia assemblage is monophyletic. The groupings of Hay (1991, 1998, 1999) shows to be satisfactory and similar to our phylogenetic analyses.
Visayas and Mindanao are the centers of distribution.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
International Aroid Society Philippine Horticultural Society

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Commission on Higher Education De La Salle University-Dasmarias De La Salle University-Manila

Thank You!