Join the Torrey Botanical Society in person at the Pier 57 Oyster Classroom or on Zoom for our June lecture.

In this talk, Juan Angulo explores the evolution of separate sexes (dioecy) in Andean Miconia (Melastomataceae), a rare reproductive system in flowering plants. Using a newly generated phylogeny of 250 species, he reconstructs multiple independent origins of dioecy in the group and analyzes their effect on diversification. While dioecy has often been considered an evolutionary dead-end, this work challenges this hypothesis by showing that under certain ecological contexts, dioecy can promote higher rates of diversification. Juan will also present results from field work comparing diverging generalist and specialist pollination systems between dioecious and hermaphroditic Miconia, highlighting how reproductive strategy also influences plant-pollinator interactions.

Juan Angulo was born in Bogotá, Colombia, where he first developed a passion for Andean plants and their diversity. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree at the University of Georgia, they joined the Biology Ph.D. program at the City University of New York Graduate Center and The New York Botanical Garden, where they are set to defend their dissertation in early June. Throughout his dissertation, he has combined phylogenomic, museum-based, and field approaches to understand the mechanisms driving species richness and distribution in the Andes mountain range.

Time: 6:00-7:00 pm EST

Free!

Registration