Biogeography of Dietes (Iridaceae)

[Ken Kinman]

John and others,
     I'm not sure I would call it a "standard" Indian Ocean biogeographic
pattern.  I see no reason to expect that Dietes ever occurred much further
north than its present relict distribution.  I would guess it once did very
well in Antarctica (possibly where the genus originated).
     The big question is where the Lord Howe Island species came
from----presumably New Zealand, Australia, or perhaps even New Caledonia.
Whether relict populations of Dietes might still occur "naturally" in any of
those places is hard to say (but it wouldn't surprise me if they did).
        ----- Cheers,  Ken
P.S.  This opinion is offered free of charge, although I think it's worth at
least the proverbial "two cents".  Only time will tell.  :-)

*****************************************
>From: john Grehan <jgrehan at SCIENCEBUFF.ORG>
>Reply-To: john Grehan <jgrehan at SCIENCEBUFF.ORG>
>To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
>Subject: Biogeography of Dietes (Iridaceae)
>Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:54:31 -0500
>
>A paper by Goldblatt (1981) documents the distribution of this plant genus
>with an East African range for five species (southern Ethiopia to the Cape)
>and Lord Howe Island (one species). This is of course a standard Indian
>Ocean biogeographic pattern (East Africa-SW Pacific). Would anyone on this
>list know whether there have been any further distribution records or
>phylogenetic treatments of its phylogenetic relationships with other
>Iridaceae published since the time of this article?
>
>John Grehan
>
>John Grehan
>Director of Science and Collections
>Buffalo Museum of Science
>1020 Humboldt Parkway
>Buffalo, New York 14211-1293
>Voice 716-896-5200 x372
>Fax 716-897-6723
>jgrehan at sciencebuff.org


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