Phylogenetics, systematics and evolution of the temperate woody bamboos with an emphasis on the Kuruna clade

The subfamily Bambusoideae (bamboos) is one of 12 subfamilies in Poaceae (grass family) and is primarily associated with forest habitats. Bambusoideae, which include nearly 1,500 species worldwide, is classified into two tribes of woody bamboos (the tropical Bambuseae and the temperate Arundinarieae) and one tribe of herbaceous bamboos (the Olyreae). The Arundinarieae, with ca. 550 species, is well known for its taxonomic and phylogenetic complexity; to date, there are twelve major lineages found in Arundinarieae based on analyses of selected chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) markers, nuclear DNA genes and complete plastomes. The main objectives of this dissertation are to: 1) conduct molecular phylogenetic analysis for the temperate woody bamboo species using chloroplast DNA with particular emphases on testing the monophyly of Sri Lankan temperate woody bamboos, placing them in the correct genus or genera and perform a taxonomic revision for this group; 2) understand the phylogenetic relationships among and within the woody bamboo clades using complete plastome sequences and low-copy nuclear markers and evaluate morphological evolution of some important characters such as rhizomes and pseudospikelets; 3) develop a web-based multi-access interactive key for the Sri Lankan and South Indian temperate woody bamboos; 4) understand the population genetic structure of A. debilis, a highly threatened temperate woody bamboo