Biogeography and character‐mapping of <i>Hiptage</i> (Malpighiaceae) corroborate Indochina's rainforests as one of the main sources of plant diversity in southeastern Asia

In Malpighiaceae, Hiptage represents one of the seven past dispersal events from Neotropics to Paleotropical region, being by far most widely diversified and distributed genus Malpighiaceae. this study, we tested current infrageneric classification with a dated calibrated molecular phylogeny. We also reconstructed ancestral areas elucidate which route led colonization southeast Asia recent common ancestor (MRCA) genus. The pre-existing was incompatible monophyly based solely on homoplasic morphological characters, such as presence number sepal glands. MRCA arose in rainforests ca 24.0 Mya greatly region. Few lineages have dispersed eastward pacific islands or westwards India. Based our results, hypothesize that did not take Indian reach southeastern Asia. Instead, it reached region mainland forest connections between North America–Europe (Boreotropical hypothesis) Nonetheless, distribution ranges for species must be carefully revised, five endemic India sampled so can properly test early Miocene.