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Floral organogenesis and evolution in Nymphaeales: Comparative analyses of Brasenia schreberi and Euryale ferox integrating MADS-box phylogenomics

delete2026-05-19
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PRE
AI
Y
Yong-Xiu Song
Y
Yan Wang
K
Keming Liu
L
Ligong Lei
G
Guang‐Wan Hu *
Q
Qingfeng Wang
DOI:10.1111/jse.70076delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Nymphaeales, an early-diverging angiosperm order, is pivotal for understanding floral evolution; yet, the processes of floral organogenesis and the evolutionary transitions between Cabombaceae and Nymphaeaceae remain incompletely resolved. Here, we integrate scanning electron microscopy, phylogeny-based ancestral state reconstruction, and comparative genomics to investigate floral organogenesis and MADS-box gene families in Brasenia schreberi (Cabombaceae) and Euryale ferox (Nymphaeaceae). Brasenia schreberi shows a stable trimerous, whorled initiation pattern; its floral apex remains dome-shaped and produces a superior gynoecium with free (apocarpous) carpels. In contrast, E. ferox displays a tetramerous pattern with unidirectional (abaxial-to-adaxial) initiation, followed by spiral centripetal organ formation; its apex becomes concave early, forming a complex receptacle that develops into an inferior gynoecium with syncarpous carpels. Ancestral state reconstructions indicate that Cabombaceae retains more plesiomorphic traits of the Nymphaeales ancestor, whereas Nymphaeaceae shows multiple derived innovations. Using a domain- validated, de-redundant data set, we further compare MADS-box phylogeny and motif architectures, revealing relatively conserved motifs in ABCDE-related MIKC clades but more heterogeneous patterns in certain non-ABCDE lineages, partly influenced by annotation quality. Together, these results support independent evolutionary trajectories for Cabombaceae and Nymphaeaceae and shed light on the evolution of floral organization in basal angiosperms.
Keywords:
basal angiosperm
Brasenia
Euryale
floral organogenesis
MADS-box
Nymphaeales

Journal

Journal of Systematics and Evolution cover
Journal of Systematics and Evolution
IF:
2.9
Papers:
1.3K
Citations:
2.9K

Organization

H
hunan normal university
Scholars:
2.4K
Papers: 772
Citations: 0
C
chinese academy of sciences
Scholars:
54.9W
Papers: 44.5W
Citations: 703
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