A new genus of Convolvulaceae, Muigaia, is here proposed and fully revised, including molecular phylogenetic analyses, comprehensive morphological and palynological descriptions, identification keys, distribution maps and conservation assessments. It is a strictly paleotropical genus, occurring in Tropical Africa, Madagascar, India and Australia, and remarkably absent from the Malesian region. It is distinctive for the markedly angular stems; deeply palmately lobed, irregularly dissected leaves; leaf-like stipules at the base of the petiole; muricate, verrucose or cristate sepals; a 3-globose stigma and a 6-valved capsule. A revision of the species involved in this complex has resulted in the recognition of a total of seven species, including five new combinations, one new name (M. shimpalei) and one newly described species (M. australiana), endemic to Australia. The tropical African specimens of M. coptica, in particular, exhibit a wide range of morphological variation and should be investigated in detail. We expect that, now that Muigaia has been phylogenetically and morphologically circumscribed, further revisionary studies could focus on improving the species delimitation, and likely result in the discovery of additional new species to science.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:The Amazon and the Atlantic Forest are the most diverse tropical rainforests globally. They are separated by a 'dry diagonal' of mesic forests and savannas. The formation times of these ecoregions and the historical connections between them remain debated, highlighting gaps in our understanding of the continent's biogeographical history. Here, we used the endemic clade Adenocalymma to further understand the formation and connections of current ecoregions in the Neotropics. METHODS:We sampled 68 species of Adenocalymma, representing 87 % of species diversity, and used nuclear genomic data to infer their phylogeny. To better characterize the evolutionary history of Adenocalymma, we applied supermatrix and species-tree methods, as well as approaches that account for introgression and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). Divergence times were inferred using a subset of genes. Finally, we applied the resulting phylogenetic hypothesis to infer ancestral ranges and the diversification patterns within the genus. KEY RESULTS:Adenocalymma was strongly supported as monophyletic in all analyses. Support for internal clades was generally high. ILS and introgression accounted for a minor proportion of gene-tree incongruences, suggesting that methodological factors may be relevant. The Atlantic Forest was identified as the ancestral area and main source of lineages for adjacent ecoregions. Vicariance was clearly observed in two instances. Adenocalymma showed a sharp increase in speciation and net diversification rates during the last 5 Ma. CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate that nuclear genomic data are highly valuable for inferring robust phylogenetic trees and networks in Bignoniaceae. ILS and introgression appear to be less relevant for shaping phylogenetic incongruence. Furthermore, the Amazon Forest may have contributed fewer plant lineages to other ecoregions than previously suggested. Diversification within Adenocalymma showed a pronounced accumulation of lineages during the last 5 Ma, especially in the Atlantic Forest. SUMMARY:This study explored the phylogeny of the Neotropical genus Adenocalymma using genomic data and used this evolutionary framework to better understand the biogeographical history of the focal clade and the Neotropics. Here, we showed that the lineage originated in the Atlantic Forest and further colonized other ecoregions. We also recovered a rapid increase in diversification of Adenocalymma over the last 5 Ma.

Premise: Magnoliids are a strongly supported clade of angiosperms. Previous phylogenetic studies based primarily on analyses of a limited number of mostly plastid markers have led to the current classification of magnoliids into four orders and 18 families. However, uncertainty remains regarding the placement of several families. Methods: For the first comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of magnoliids as a whole, we sampled 235 species from 199 (74%) genera and representing all families and most subfamilies and tribes. We analyzed newly generated data from the Angiosperms353 probe set using both coalescent and concatenation analyses and testing the impact of multiple filtering and alignment strategies. Results: While our results generally provide further support for previously established phylogenetic relationships in both magnoliids as a whole and large families including Annonaceae and Lauraceae, they also provide new evidence for previously ambiguous relationships. In particular, we found support for the position of Hydnoraceae as sister to the remainder of Piperales, though evidence was conflicting, and resolved the backbone of relationships among most genera of Myristicaceae. Different analytical strategies tended to have rather small effects on branch support and topology. Conclusions: Although some of our results are limited by low gene recovery for a number of taxa and significant gene tree conflict for some relationships, this study represents a significant step toward reconstructing the evolutionary history of a major lineage of angiosperms. Based on these results, we present an updated phylogenetic classification for magnoliids, recognizing 21 families, summarizing previously established subfamilies and tribes, and describing new tribes for Myristicaceae.

BACKGROUND:Taxonomic studies of big plant genera are invariably complex due to their high species diversity. Big genera with tropical species representation exhibit excessive taxon descriptions, since tropical and subtropical regions contribute immensely to species diversity. Ipomoea is an example of a large genus, with over 800 species distributed majorly in tropical and subtropical regions and fewer occurring in temperate regions. It is polyphyletic, nesting nine other genera, which collectively form tribe Ipomoeeae. It has a long history of taxonomic and nomenclatural confusion, mainly due to a lack of clear morphological delimitation. Phylogenetic studies have greatly contributed to the clarification of taxa within Ipomoeeae. However, sampling biases overlooking Asian and African taxa representation means that these results are still insufficient for advanced generic classification of the group. SCOPE:To improve the understanding of phylogenetic relationships within Ipomoeeae, with a focus on the contribution of newly generated phylogenomic data from 17 African taxa. METHODS:This study, for the first time, employed the target enrichment strategy with the universal Angiosperms353 probe set. We utilised a single locus (ITS) constrained-phylogenetic analysis approach for Ipomoeeae, guided by a phylogenomic-generated phylogeny. KEY RESULTS:The Angiosperms353 tree resolved with strong support and corroborated the monophyly of Ipomoeeae as well as the polyphyly of Ipomoea. Internal branches of constrained phylogenetic tree exhibited stronger statistical support than in unconstrained phylogeny. Conflicting gene trees were also observed across the Angiosperms353 phylogeny despite the observed strong support. CONCLUSIONS:This study emphasizes the need for infrageneric divisions in Ipomoea, and a subtribal classification of tribe Ipomoeeae. We also advocate for the utilization of phylogenomic data for phylogenetic inference and delimitation of Ipomoeeae. Nuclear molecular data and multi-species coalescent approach could prove useful in classification of Ipomoeeae, hence increased taxa sampling is recommended to fully understand the tribe.

While preparing a taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Klarobelia Chatrou (Annonaceae), two species new to science - Klarobelia icoja S.Lara & Chatrou, sp. nov., and Malmea abscondita Chatrou & Gees, sp. nov. - were discovered. Both species are known from only two collections, made in Amazonian Peru. We clarify their generic placement and taxonomic identity based on a comparison of morphological characters with previously described species and on molecular phylogenetic analysis of four plastid markers. The conservation status of both species is assessed following IUCN criteria, and line drawings and distribution map are provided.

The Neotropics are well known for their exceptionally rich biodiversity, likely linked to the dynamic geological and climatic history of the region. The origin of such high diversity is best explored through comprehensive species-level phylogenies of lineages endemic to the region. The plant family Bignoniaceae includes c. 850 species, nearly half belonging to the tribe Bignonieae, the largest clade of neotropical lianas. The lianescent genus Mansoa is one of the 20 genera included in the tribe. The genus is widespread throughout the Neotropics and previous studies support the inclusion of 18 species. Mansoa is distinguished by both its strong garlic scent and showy magenta flowers. Sampling included 15 species and 30 individuals of Mansoa. We reconstructed a comprehensive time-calibrated phylogeny of the genus using both a combined dataset composed of targeted loci data generated through Sanger sequencing and high-throughput plastome data generated through genome skimming. Mansoa and most of its species are recovered as monophyletic, except for Mansoa angustidens and Mansoa hirsuta, which appeared as paraphyletic. We reconstructed the ancestral range and dispersal history of the genus, which was estimated to have an Amazonian origin during the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene, a time defined by the formation of the Amazonian lacustrine systems, including the Pebas and Acre systems. More recent diversification of the group was influenced by further climatic and landscape changes from the Miocene to the present, triggered by the Andean orogenesis. Our study sheds new light on the history of the Neotropical flora, highlighting the importance of species-level phylogenies for our understanding of the biogeographic history of the Neotropics.

Annonaceae is a major tropical plant family particularly diverse in tropical rain forests of the world. Although the classification and systematics of the family has significantly improved over the past decade, the most recent classification was based on a reduced set of plastid markers and incomplete genus-level taxon sampling. This classification recognised 4 subfamilies and 20 tribes. Yet, several important problems persisted, especially the phylogenetic placement of the African genus Meiocarpidium, resolution of intertribal relationships within subfamily Malmeoideae, resolution and classification within the diverse tribe Miliuseae with 23 genera, and the contrasting placement of the liana genus Artabotrys when using nuclear versus plastid data. Here, using a previously published Annonaceae-specific nuclear bait kit, we generated for the first time a complete genus-level (108 taxa) phylogenomic tree of the family based on 373 loci. We show that Meiocarpidium is sister to Ambavioideae and should be considered as a tribe and not a separate subfamily. Artabotrys is recovered as belonging to tribe Duguetieae, and not Xylopieae as previously inferred based on plastid data, and is sister to two other African liana genera, Letestudoxa and Pseudartabotrys. Finally, we were able to resolve intertribal relationships within subfamily Malmeoideae and most of the relationships within tribe Miliuseae. Nevertheless, we recovered strong gene conflict mainly at the backbone of the tribe, probably linked to a rapid diversification at its origin, leading to substantial incomplete lineage sorting. We suggest that this conflict will be hard to resolve. Using this novel phylogenomic framework we recognize 25 subtribes, 21 as new, to improve the infrafamilial classification of Annonaceae.

Aim: We investigated the potential resilience to climatic change of nine species of weeds in Convolvulaceae, using predictive spatial modeling across two contrasting biomes in Southeastern Brazil: Cerrado (=Savanna) and Mata Atlantica (=Atlantic Forest). We inferred future changes in distribution area, the climatic variables that will be most impactful, and the potential occurrence of future climatic refuges. Location: Southeastern Brazil (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Methods: A total of 195, taxonomically vetted, distribution records were compiled for nine species of Convolvulaceae. Potential distribution areas were modelled in RStudio 1.3.1056 with R 3.6.3 using modleR; environmental layers used were the 19 bioclimatic variables with 30 seconds resolution. After a correlation analysis, four bioclimatic variables were selected for distribution modelling: Temperature Seasonality (BIO4), Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter (BIO8), Precipitation of Wettest Month (BIO13) and Precipitation of Driest Quarter (BIO17). The species distribution modelling was performed using the Maxent algorithm for the present time (1960-1990) and for future projections (2050 and 2070), under two different scenarios of projections, moderate and pessimistic. The final distribution models were generated through the selection of primary models with a minimum level of TSS (True Skills Statistics) equal to 0.7. Results: The analysed species demonstrated different levels of response to climatic change: Distimake aegyptius, D. dissectus, and Evolvulus pteurocaulon exhibited a gain in the climatic suitability range, regardless of the future scenarios. Other species, such as E. glomeratus, Ipomoea bonariensis, and I. alba showed a decline in climatic suitability range, more accentuated in the pessimistic scenario . Three species showed a positive response in a moderate future scenario, but a decline in the most extreme projection. Areas that may act, in the future, as climatic refuges for the displaced species are also highlighted, in view of being prioritised for conservation. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

A proposal to change the conserved type of Ipomoea was published in December 2020, and recommended by the Nomenclature Committee in 2023. This was done in the light of the possible negative consequences for a name change in the crop sweetpotato, which risk our proposal would significantly minimize. Recently, Muñoz‐Rodríguez & al. have published a rebuttal to this proposal, which we respond to here. The objections raised by these authors focus as much on the expertise and credibility of our group of authors as on the merits of our arguments. In this “rebuttal to the rebuttal”, we respond to the scientific questions raised, highlight demonstrated misinterpretation of the specialised literature relevant to this discussion and counter the assertion that a reclassification of Ipomoeeae is impossible given existing evidence. While the currently recognised genera of Ipomoeeae are not all monophyletic, the proposal to change the conserved type of Ipomoea is a necessary step that will allow exploring an improved classification for the tribe Ipomoeeae, either in the form of a better recircumscription of the genera or an efficient infrageneric classification for Ipomoea . Previously published literature has not advocated for the integration of all genera into a single genus, as Muñoz‐Rodríguez and co‐authors have incorrectly suggested, and instead have recommended a reanalysis of the high morphological diversity of the group in the context of expanded phylogenetic studies, with the possible maintenance of some of the existing genera. We believe that, in a concerted collaborative approach and with the contribution of experts from different regions and scientific backgrounds, an improved classification of Ipomoeeae that integrates the principles of monophyly and diagnosability may soon be achieved, and until when some uncertainty may need to be accommodated, with the added reassurance that, regardless of the direction of future systematic rearrangements, the stability of the scientific name of sweetpotato would be preserved.

Background The use of medicinal plants is integral to global healthcare systems, with Sub-Saharan Africa maintaining a robust tradition of herbal medicine alongside Western-oriented healthcare. As migrant communities tend to continue traditional herbal practices after migration, documenting this use is vital to develop culturally sensitive healthcare. This study investigates plant usage and perspectives in the context of sexual and reproductive health among the Congolese community in Belgium, particularly in the Matongé quarter of Brussels. Our research questions were: (1) What is the current knowledge of medicinal plants among the Congolese community in Belgium in the context of sexual health, and what are the applications and commonly employed administration methods of these plants? (2) What role does herbal medicine play in the context of sexual health for people of Congolese descent in Belgium and how this is influenced by perceptions of sexuality? and (3) Is there a gender bias in the use of medicinal plants, and if so, can this be related to perceived gender norms? Methods We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with people of Congolese descent currently living in Belgium. Participants were selected using both snowball sampling and purposive sampling. Plant use in the context of sexual health was recorded through freelisting. Data on narratives, ideas, and perceptions of this plant use in the context of sexual health were collected. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results We identified 17 plant species used for sexual health. Three overarching themes emerged from our data. Plants were used with a notable gender bias favoring male sexual potency enhancement. Men used these plants for both remedying potency issues and enhancing sexual prowess. In contrast, knowledge about plants for female sexual health was limited. Gender norms reinforced the importance of male sexual potency, while stigmatizing open discussions of female sexuality. Conclusions The use of medicinal plants for sexual health raises health, social, and conservation concerns, underscoring the need for further research in this area. This study contributes to understanding medicinal plant use within the Congolese community in Belgium and highlights the necessity for future research on herbal practices for female sexual health in this context.

Angiosperms are the cornerstone of most terrestrial ecosystems and human livelihoods(1,2). A robust understanding of angiosperm evolution is required to explain their rise to ecological dominance. So far, the angiosperm tree of life has been determined primarily by means of analyses of the plastid genome(3,4). Many studies have drawn on this foundational work, such as classification and first insights into angiosperm diversification since their Mesozoic origins(5-7). However, the limited and biased sampling of both taxa and genomes undermines confidence in the tree and its implications. Here, we build the tree of life for almost 8,000 (about 60%) angiosperm genera using a standardized set of 353 nuclear genes(8). This 15-fold increase in genus-level sampling relative to comparable nuclear studies(9) provides a critical test of earlier results and brings notable change to key groups, especially in rosids, while substantiating many previously predicted relationships. Scaling this tree to time using 200 fossils, we discovered that early angiosperm evolution was characterized by high gene tree conflict and explosive diversification, giving rise to more than 80% of extant angiosperm orders. Steady diversification ensued through the remaining Mesozoic Era until rates resurged in the Cenozoic Era, concurrent with decreasing global temperatures and tightly linked with gene tree conflict. Taken together, our extensive sampling combined with advanced phylogenomic methods shows the deep history and full complexity in the evolution of a megadiverse clade.

Abstract Premise Hybridization capture kits are now commonly used for reduced representation approaches in genomic sequencing, with both universal and clade‐specific kits available. Here, we present a probe kit targeting 799 low‐copy genes for the plant family Annonaceae. Methods This new version of the kit combines the original 469 genes from the previous Annonaceae kit with 334 genes from the universal Angiosperms353 kit. We also compare the results obtained using the original Angiosperms353 kit with our custom approach using a subset of specimens. Parsimony‐informative sites and the results of maximum likelihood phylogenetic inference were assessed for combined matrices using the genera Asimina and Deeringothamnus. Results The Annonaceae799 genes derived from the Angiosperms353 kit have extremely high recovery rates. Off‐target reads were also detected. When evaluating size, the proportion of on‐ and off‐target regions, and the number of parsimony‐informative sites, the genes incorporated from the Angiosperms353 panel generally outperformed the genes from the original Annonaceae probe kit. Discussion We demonstrated that the new sequences from the Angiosperms353 probe set are variable and relevant for future studies on species‐level phylogenomics and within‐species studies in the Annonaceae. The integration of kits also establishes a connection between projects and makes new genes available for phylogenetic and population studies.

On the island of Hispaniola, five endemic species of Magnolia occur, all of which are threatened with extinction. Little is known about their distribution and genetic health, hampering targeted conservation actions. The objective of this study is to assess the potential distribution and the genetic health of the Magnolias of Hispaniola, to inform concrete guidelines for effective conservation management. Using species distribution modelling (SDM), we predict habitat suitability for the Magnolias of Hispaniola by analysing 21 variables, describing climate and landscape features, on 635 occurrences. We genotyped 417 individuals using 16 microsatellite markers, to test for genetic structure and degree of inbreeding. The SDM and genetic data confirm the recognition of the four studied Magnolia species. The known individuals of the three Dominican Magnolias are structured into five populations which show ample genetic diversity and little inbreeding overall. For conservation management, we propose to focus on exploration using the SDM results, and protection and reinforcement using the genetic and occurrence data. The genetic results guide prioritization of species and populations. The SDM results guide spatial prioritization. Installing and/or protecting habitat corridors between populations, starting with the two species with the lowest genetic diversity and relatively nearby populations, is recommended as a durable conservation strategy. Meanwhile, reinforcement efforts can be undertaken to artificially increase gene flow for which we appoint sink and source population pairs, using the genetic data.

Distimake vitifolius comb. nov. (Convolvulaceae), currently treated as Camonea vitifolia, is a common and widespread species in South-East Asia. A recent study on the re-delimitation of the genus Merremia classified its species into six genera. The results of molecular phylogenetic analyses and the presence of hexazonocolpate pollen informed the transfer of Merremia vitifolia to Camonea. We present new molecular, morphological and palynological data and reinterpret previous results, demonstrating that the species should be classified in Distimake instead, reflecting the phylogenetic relationships of the species. Thus, the occurrence of hexazonocolpate pollen in both Distimake and Camonea is found to be the result of the convergent evolution of this apertural pattern in ‘Merremieae’, with implications for pollen evolution studies in the family. We formally transfer Camonea vitifolia to Distimake and present this reclassification as an example of the relevance of reciprocal reinterpretation of different sources of evidence in systematic studies.

The Annonaceae family contains important tropical crops, but the number of species used commercially is limited, and development of other promising species for cultivation is hindered by a lack of genomic resources to support the building of breeding programmes. The family is part of the magnoliids, an ancient lineage of angiosperms for which evolutionary relationships with other major clades have remained unclear. To provide novel resources to both plant breeders and evolutionary research, we described the chromosome-level genome assembly of the soursop (Annona muricata L.), using DNA data generated with PacBio and Illumina short-read technology, in combination with 10XGenomics, BioNano data, and Hi-C sequencing. To disentangle key angiosperm relationships, we reconstructed phylogenomic trees comparing a wider sampling of available angiosperm genomes and reveal that the soursop represents a genomic mosaic supporting different evolutionary histories, with scaffolds almost exclusively supporting singular topologies. However, coalescent methods and a majority of genes support magnoliids as sister to monocots and eudicots, where previously published whole genome-based studies remained inconclusive. The soursop genome highlights the need for more early diverging angiosperm genomes and critical assessment of the suitability of such genomes for inferring evolutionary history. The soursop is the first genome assembled in Annonaceae and supports further studies of floral evolution in magnoliids, whilst providing an essential resource for delineating relationships of major lineages at the base of the angiosperms. Both genome-assisted improvement in promising Annonaceae fruit crops and conservation efforts will be strengthened by the availability of the soursop genome. The genome assembly as a community resource will further strengthen the role of Annonaceae as a model group for research on the ecology, evolution, and domestication potential of tropical species in pomology and agroforestry.

The Caribbean islands provide an ideal setting for studying biodiversity, given their complex geological and environmental history, and their historical and current geographical proximity to the American mainland. Magnolia, a flagship tree genus that has 15 endemic and threatened taxa (12 species and 3 subspecies) on the Caribbean islands, offers an excellent case study to empirically test Caribbean biogeographical hypotheses. We constructed phylogenetic hypotheses to: (1) reveal their evolutionary history, (2) test the current largely morphology-based classification and assess species limits, and (3) investigate major biogeographic hypotheses proposed for the region. Nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data of all 15 Caribbean Magnolia taxa are included, supplemented by a selection of American mainland species, and species representing most major clades of the Magnoliaceae family. We constructed phylogenetic hypotheses in a time-calibrated Bayesian framework, supplemented with haplotype network analyses and ancestral range estimations. Genetic synapomorphies in the studied markers confirm the species limits of 14 out of 15 morphologically recognizable Caribbean Magnolia taxa. There is evidence for four colonization events of Magnolia into the Caribbean from the American mainland, which most likely occurred by overwater dispersal, given age estimates of maximum 16 mya for their presence on the Caribbean islands.

Convolvulaceae is a family of c. 2,000 species, distributed across 60 currently recognized genera. It includes species of high economic importance, such as the crop sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), the ornamental morning glories (Ipomoea L.), bindweeds (Convolvulus L.), and dodders, the parasitic vines (Cuscuta L.). Earlier phylogenetic studies, based predominantly on chloroplast markers or a single nuclear region, have provided a framework for systematic studies of the family, but uncertainty remains at the level of the relationships among subfamilies, tribes, and genera, hindering evolutionary inferences and taxonomic advances. One of the enduring enigmas has been the relationship of Cuscuta to the rest of Convolvulaceae. Other examples of unresolved issues include the monophyly and relationships within Merremieae, the "bifid-style" clade (Dicranostyloideae), as well as the relative positions of Erycibe Roxb. and Cardiochlamyeae. In this study, we explore a large dataset of nuclear genes generated using Angiosperms353 kit, as a contribution to resolving some of these remaining phylogenetic uncertainties within Convolvulaceae. For the first time, a strongly supported backbone of the family is provided. Cuscuta is confirmed to belong within family Convolvulaceae. "Merremieae," in their former tribal circumscription, are recovered as non-monophyletic, with the unexpected placement of Distimake Raf. as sister to the clade that contains Ipomoeeae and Decalobanthus Ooststr., and Convolvuleae nested within the remaining "Merremieae." The monophyly of Dicranostyloideae, including Jacquemontia Choisy, is strongly supported, albeit novel relationships between genera are hypothesized, challenging the current tribal delimitation. The exact placements of Erycibe and Cuscuta remain uncertain, requiring further investigation. Our study explores the benefits and limitations of increasing sequence data in resolving higher-level relationships within Convolvulaceae, and highlights the need for expanded taxonomic sampling, to facilitate a much-needed revised classification of the family.

This taxonomic revision of the continental African species of Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae) includes 79 species and one variety. Thirteen new species (M. aestuaria, M. bidaultii, M. confusa, M. glabra, M. hexamera, M. mcphersonii, M. quasilanceolata, M. sterilis, M. submontana, M. suffruticosa, M. ursus, M. vulcanica and M. wieringae) are described and 5 new combinations (M. biglandulosa, M. kenyensis, M. ochroleuca, M. pynaertii and M. seretii) are made. The genus Monanthotaxis consists of lianas or lianescent shrubs. It occurs throughout forests in tropical Africa and the highest species diversity is found in the Western Central African rain forests. A key for flowering material is provided, just like a synoptic key including 45 characters. Topics included in the revision are the history of the taxonomy of Monanthotaxis, morphology, leaf anatomy, floral biology, distribution and habitat, phylogeny and finally ethnobotany and phytochemistry. Each species is fully described including synonymy, notes on distribution, habitat & ecology, vernacular names, uses and a preliminary IUCN conservation status. Distribution maps are provided for all species, illustrations for 48 species and photographs of 22 species. An index of exsiccatae and an index of the scientific names are included at the end.

The flowering plant family Annonaceae includes important commercially grown tropical crops, but development of promising species is hindered by a lack of genomic resources to build breeding programs. Annonaceae are part of the magnoliids, an ancient lineage of angiosperms for which evolutionary relationships with other major clades remain unclear. To provide resources to breeders and evolutionary researchers, we report a chromosome-level genome assembly of the soursop (Annona muricata). We assembled the genome using 444.32 Gb of DNA sequences (676x sequencing depth) from PacBio and Illumina short-reads, in combination with 10x Genomics and Bionano data (v1). A total of 949 scaffolds were assembled to a final size of 656.77 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 3.43 Mb (v1), and then further improved to seven pseudo-chromosomes using Hi-C sequencing data (v2; scaffold N50: 93.2 Mb, total size in chromosomes: 639.6 Mb). Heterozygosity was very low (0.06%), while repeat sequences accounted for 54.87% of the genome, and 23,375 protein-coding genes with an average of 4.79 exons per gene were annotated using de novo, RNA-seq and homology-based approaches. Reconstruction of the historical population size showed a slow continuous contraction, probably related to Cenozoic climate changes. The soursop is the first genome assembled in Annonaceae, supporting further studies of floral evolution in magnoliids, providing an essential resource for delineating relationships of ancient angiosperm lineages. Both genome-assisted improvement and conservation efforts will be strengthened by the availability of the soursop genome. As a community resource, this assembly will further strengthen the role of Annonaceae as model species for research on the ecology, evolution and domestication potential of tropical species in pomology and agroforestry.

Decalobanthus is a genus of woody climbers of Convolvulaceae, recently expanded from a monotypic genus to including 17 species, mainly distributed in Asia and the Pacific. Despite the monophyly and the strong morphological and geographical coherence of the genus, only five of its species have been sampled in a molecular phylogenetic study and their relationships remain poorly understood. As a pillar to further systematic and evolutionary studies of Decalobanthus, this study offers a full characterisation of its pollen variation. To date, only seven of the 17 species have been palynologically documented in the literature (as Merremia s.l.). We here offer new data for seven species, which adding up to the already available data, totals a characterisation of 14 out of the 17 species in the genus. The pollen of Decalobanthus is, in most cases, tricolpate, with one species presenting hexapantocolpate polymorphism, which could suggest di/polyploidy; the presence of a reticulate exine (‘reticulum cristatum’ type) is remarkable, in Convolvulaceae only known otherwise in some species of Cuscuta.