the Strange, the Ugly,the Strange, the Ugly,and the Bizarreand the Bizarre. . . carnivores, parasites, and. . . carnivores, parasites, andmycotrophsmycotrophsPlant Oddities - Plant Oddities - Carnivores, Parasites &Carnivores, Parasites & Mycotrophs Mycotrophs Of all the plants, the most bizarre, theOf all the plants, the most bizarre, theleast understood, but yet the mostleast understood, but yet the mostinteresting are those plants that haveinteresting are those plants that haveunusual modes of nutrient uptake.unusual modes of nutrient uptake.Carnivore: Carnivore: NepenthesNepenthesParasite:Parasite: RafflesiaRafflesiaPlant Oddities - Plant Oddities - Carnivores, Parasites &Carnivores, Parasites & Mycotrophs Mycotrophs Of all the plants, the most bizarre, theOf all the plants, the most bizarre, theleast understood, but yet the mostleast understood, but yet the mostinteresting are those plants that haveinteresting are those plants that haveunusual modes of nutrient uptake.unusual modes of nutrient uptake.Plant Oddities - Plant Oddities - Carnivores, Parasites &Carnivores, Parasites & Mycotrophs Mycotrophs Of all the plants, the most bizarre, theOf all the plants, the most bizarre, theleast understood, but yet the mostleast understood, but yet the mostinteresting are those plants that haveinteresting are those plants that haveunusual modes of nutrient uptake.unusual modes of nutrient uptake.MycotrophMycotroph:: MonotropaMonotropaThings to focus on for this topic!Things to focus on for this topic!1.1.What are these three types ofWhat are these three types ofplantsplants2.2.How do they liveHow do they live3.3.Systematic distribution in generalSystematic distribution in general4.4.Systematic challenges or issuesSystematic challenges or issues5.5.Evolutionary pathways - how didEvolutionary pathways - how didthey get to what they arethey get to what they areAt the state, federal, and international levels,At the state, federal, and international levels,many of these plants are extremely rare,many of these plants are extremely rare,threatened, or endangered. Many are protectedthreatened, or endangered. Many are protectedinternationally from collection by CITES.internationally from collection by CITES.Plant Oddities - Plant Oddities - Carnivores, Parasites &Carnivores, Parasites & Mycotrophs Mycotrophs StrigaStriga - - witchweed witchweedOrobanchaceaeOrobanchaceaePlant Oddities - Plant Oddities - Carnivores, Parasites &Carnivores, Parasites & Mycotrophs Mycotrophs Some, likeSome, like witchweed witchweed, are some of the most, are some of the mostdevastating weeds known - 70% ofdevastating weeds known - 70% of subSaharan subSaharangrain crops are destroyed annually bygrain crops are destroyed annually by StrigaStrigainfestations.infestations.Several aspects of these plants present problemsSeveral aspects of these plants present problems•• The The biologybiology of how they trap animals, recognize and of how they trap animals, recognize andpenetrate other plants, and how they interact with fungi ispenetrate other plants, and how they interact with fungi isoften little understood.often little understood.•• The basic The basic anatomical and morphological structuresanatomical and morphological structures of ofboth vegetative and floral parts of these plants are often soboth vegetative and floral parts of these plants are often somodified that basic structure (homology) is littlemodified that basic structure (homology) is littleunderstood.understood.•• Systematic relationshipsSystematic relationships of these of theseplants (how to classify theseplants (how to classify theseorganisms) are often poorly knownorganisms) are often poorly knownand controversial.and controversial.Plant Oddities - The ProblemsPlant Oddities - The ProblemsThree factors for Three factors for systematic confusion systematic confusion and and controversycontroversyPlant Oddities - The ProblemsPlant Oddities - The Problems1. 1. the specialized roles often involve the specialized roles often involve reductionsreductionsin both vegetative and floral features in both vegetative and floral features —— DNA DNAalso is reduced or has extremely high rates ofalso is reduced or has extremely high rates ofchangechange for example for example –– the parasitic the parasiticRafflesiaRafflesiaThree factors for Three factors for systematic confusion systematic confusion and and controversycontroversyPlant Oddities - The ProblemsPlant Oddities - The Problems2. 2. their connections to other plants or fungi, ortheir connections to other plants or fungi, ortrapping of animals, make these odd plantstrapping of animals, make these odd plantsprone to prone to horizontal gene transferhorizontal gene transferfor example for example –– the parasitic the parasitic MitrastemaMitrastema[work by former UW student Tom Kleist][work by former UW student Tom Kleist]Angiosperm mtDNAatpI phylogenyAngiospermAngiosperm mtDNA mtDNAatpIatpI phylogenyphylogeny• Mitrastema placed inorder Ericales withnuclear and mt DNA• Mitrastema sister tohost plant Quercussubsericea with onemt gene – host toparasite HGT•• MitrastemaMitrastema placed inplaced inorderorder Ericales Ericales with withnuclear and mt DNAnuclear and mt DNA•• Mitrastema Mitrastema sister tosister tohost planthost plant QuercusQuercussubsericeasubsericea with onewith onemt gene mt gene –– host tohost toparasite parasite HGTHGTAngiosperm mtDNAcoxI phylogenyAngiospermAngiosperm mtDNA mtDNAcoxIcoxI phylogenyphylogeny• Mitrastema placed inorder Ericales as itshould be•• MitrastemaMitrastema placed inplaced inorderorder Ericales Ericales as it as itshould beshould beAngiosperm mtDNAcoxI phylogenyAngiospermAngiosperm mtDNA mtDNAcoxIcoxI phylogenyphylogeny• Mitrastema placed inorder Ericales as itshould be• host plant and otherFagales exhibitMitrastema–like coxIsequences – is this anancient parasite tohost order HGT?•• MitrastemaMitrastema placed inplaced inorderorder Ericales Ericales as it as itshould beshould be•• host plant and otherhost plant and otherFagalesFagales exhibit exhibitMitrastemaMitrastema––likelike coxIcoxIsequences sequences –– is this an is this anancient parasite toancient parasite tohost order HGT?host order HGT?Three factors for Three factors for systematic confusion systematic confusion and and controversycontroversyPlant Oddities - The ProblemsPlant Oddities - The Problems3. 3.