Phylogenetics of a Rapid, Continental Radiation: Diversification, Biogeography, and Circumscription of the Beardtongues (Penstemon; Plantaginaceae)

Penstemon (Plantaginaceae), the largest genus of plants native to North America, represents a recent continental evolutionary radiation. We investigated patterns of diversification, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography, and determined the age of the lineage using 43 nuclear gene loci. We also assessed the current taxonomic circumscription of the ca. 285 species by developing a phylogenetic taxonomic bootstrap method. Penstemon originated during the Pliocene/Pleistocene transition. Patterns of diversification and biogeography are associated with glaciation cycles during the Pleistocene, with the bulk of diversification occurring from 1.0-0.5 mya. The radiation across the North American continent tracks the advance and retreat of major and minor glaciation cycles during the past 2.5 million years with founder-event speciation contributing the most to diversification of Penstemon. Our taxonomic bootstrap analyses suggest the current circumscription of the genus is in need of revision. We propose rearrangement of subgenera, sections, and subsections based on our phylogenetic results. Given the young age and broad distribution of Penstemon across North America, it offers an excellent system for studying a rapid evolutionary radiation in a continental setting.