Salvia Research Network

Salvia (Lamiaceae) is one of the largest genera of flowering plants, with nearly 1,000 species and centers of diversity in both the Old and New Worlds. The genus exhibits a remarkable range of morphological and ecological variation and poses numerous problems for the taxonomist and evolutionary biologist. Of particular interest is the feature of two stamens developed into a lever mechanism, versus the four stamens typical of most other members of the tribe Mentheae, believed to be responsible for the explosive radiation of Salvia relative to other genera involving pollinator specificity. Salvia, like other mints, are rich in secondary compounds, many of these being biologically active. Lastly, an enormous amount of interest outside of the systematic community has been focused on the horticultural and economically important members of the tribe Mentheae including sage, rosemary, oregano, mint, and thyme.

Preliminary phylogenetic data are presented for the first Salvia and Mentheae-wide study using four of the seven proposed regions of DNA to be used. The data show that Salvia is not a natural genus, groups within the genus are more closely related to other genera of Mentheae than to other Salvia, and that the putative key innovation of the staminal lever mechanism has evolved at least three times. Thus, a more comprehensive study using both molecules and morphology to examine this important group is proposed.

The proposed strategy for addressing these important systematic, ecological, biogeographic, and chemical questions involves four steps:

1) Create a comprehensive web-based information resource (phylogenies, classifications, nomenclature, floristics, digital images, data sets, contacts) for Salvia that will promote close collaboration among Salvia researchers, and provide a venue through which to disseminate the results of our research to horticulturists and hobbyists interested in this popular genus.

2) Produce a broad morphological and molecular phylogenetic framework for Salvia and Mentheae for developing classifications and assessing character evolution and biogeography.

3) Assemble and expand the morphological data sets initiated by earlier researchers through scanning electron and light microscopy of nutlet and pollen features in Salvia and relatives.

4) Collaborate with two European laboratories examining stamen morphology as a function of pollination system and investigating the evolution of secondary compounds within Salvia.

The intellectual merit resides in the broad survey of Salvia and relatives involving molecular and morphological work on the same set of taxa; integration of traditional field work, herbarium studies, molecular phylogenetics, and SEM microscopy; collaborations with at least two other laboratories whom will have access to our molecular phylogenetic framework; the recruitment and integration of a network of Salvia researchers with this Salvia Research Network website.