Island geography drives evolution of rattan palms in tropical Asian rainforests

• DOI: 10.1126/science.adp3437
• Publication Date: 2025-03-13T18:00:47Z
• Authors: Benedikt G. Kuhnh...; Christopher D. Bates; John Dransfield; Connie Geri; Andrew Henderson; Sang Julia; Jun Ying Lim; Robert J. Morley; Himmah Rustiami; Rowan J. Schley; Sidonie Bellot; Guillaume Chomicki; Wolf L. Eiserhardt; Simon J. Hiscock; William J. Baker
• Keywords: Arecaceae; Phylogenetic diversity; Biodiversity hotspot

Distributed across two continents and thousands of islands, the Asian tropics are among most species-rich areas on Earth. The origins this diversity, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal classify contributions individual tropical regions to their overall diversity by leveraging species-level phylogenomic data new fossils from palm lineage, rattans relatives (Arecaceae, Calamoideae). Radiators (Borneo) generate distribute incubators (Indochina, New Guinea, Sulawesi) produce in isolation, corridors (Java, Maluku, Sumatra, Thai-Malay Peninsula) connect neighboring regions, accumulators (Australia, India, Palawan, Philippines) acquire generated elsewhere. These contrasting can be explained differences region size elucidating how unique island-dominated geography drives outstanding biodiversity.