Abstract Ephedra, Gnetum, and Welwitschia constitute the gymnosperm order Gnetales of
still unclear phylogenetic relationships within seed plants. Here we review progress over the …

Plants have utterly transformed the planet, but testing hypotheses of causality requires a
reliable time‐scale for plant evolution. While clock methods have been extensively …

The Gnetales are one of the most fascinating groups within seed plants. Although the advent
of molecular phylogenetics has generated some confidence in their phylogenetic placement …

In 1879, Charles Darwin characterized the sudden and unexplained rise of angiosperms
during the Cretaceous as an “abominable mystery.” The diversification of this clade marked …

The majority of environments are dominated by flowering plants today, but it is uncertain
how this dominance originated. This increase in angiosperm diversity happened during the …

Angiosperms are the most diversified plant group in the world, being represented by ca
300,000 species in about 400 families. Like all of Life, including ourselves, they have had …

Four new genera and six new species of fossil seed (Buarcospermum tetragonium,
Lignierispermum maroneae, Lobospermum glabrum, L. rugosum, L. stampanonii, Rugonella …

A lineage of 12 arid land shrubby species in the gymnosperm genus Ephedra (Gnetales)
from North America is used to evaluate the influence of climate on speciation. With a long …

The Ephedra lineage can be traced at least to the Early Cretaceous. Its characteristically
polyplicate pollen is well-represented in the fossil record and is frequently used as an …

Abstract Morphological variation in Ephedra (Gnetales) is limited and confusing from an
evolutionary perspective, with parallelisms and intraspecific variation. However, recent …