Guilherme Gomes Roxo

In this paper, we integrate in situ conservation strategies with population genetic analyses to improve future prospects for preserving the endangered species Lotus azoricus P.W.Ball (Fabaceae), currently found on three islands of the Azores: Santa Maria, Pico, and São Jorge. The two largest populations are in Ponta do Castelo (Santa Maria) and Cal...

Baker’s law posits that self-fertilization facilitates colonization, a key concept for understanding population dynamics and the evolution of sexual systems in plants. However, the prevalence of dioecious species (those with separate sexes) on oceanic islands presents a notable exception to this law, raising questions that have persisted since the...

Background Anthropogenic threats are causing alteration of coastal areas worldwide. Most of the coastal biodiversity is endangered, taking a particular toll on island ecosystems, like the Azores. To better understand the biotic and abiotic factors constraining the distribution and conservation status of two endemic plants, Azorina vidalii (Campanul...

Arceuthobium azoricum Wiens & Hawksw. is a rare Azorean endemic epiphytic hemiparasite (mistletoe), that typically parasitizes branches of the gymnosperm Juniperus brevifolia (Hochst. ex Seub.) Antoine (Cupressaceae), also an Azorean endemic. Here we describe one population of A. azoricum, on Pico Island, parasitizing Erica azorica Hochst. ex Seub...

Youngia japonica (L.) DC. was recently discovered on the Azorean island of São Miguel. This species is a cosmopolitan herb that has been reported to be invasive in several regions of the world. It is unclear when and how this plant arrived in São Miguel, Azores. Nevertheless, we hypothesize that this is an unintentional and recent introduction. The...

The diverse physiography of the Portuguese land and marine territory, spanning from continental Europe to the Atlantic archipelagos, has made it an important repository of biodiversity throughout the Pleistocene glacial cycles, leading to a remarkable diversity of species and ecosystems. This rich biodiversity is under threat from anthropogenic dri...

Angiosperms present an astonishing diversity of genome sizes that can vary intra- or interspecifically. The remarkable new cytogenomic data shed some light on our understanding of evolution, but few studies were performed with insular and mainland populations to test possible correlations with dispersal, speciation, and adaptations to insular envir...

Cashew is an important export-oriented crop in several tropical countries, often under monocropping systems. Intercropping with legume species is promoted as a sustainable practice, enhancing agricultural productivity and providing nutritional food sources to rural communities. This study aimed to characterize the diversity of Leguminosae (or Fabac...

The flower, in angiosperms, is endowed with an extravagant diversity of forms and reproductive adaptations, promoting the transmission of genetic information to the next generations. In recent years, the endangered flora of the Azores has been the subject of several studies in the fields of molecular genetics and ecology. However, reproductive biol...

The Macaronesian islands constitute an enormous reservoir of genetic variation of wild carrots (subtribe Daucinae; Apiaceae), including 10 endemic species, but an accurate understanding of the diversification processes within these islands is still lacking. We conducted a review of the morphology, ecology, and conservation status of the Daucinae sp...

In sub-Saharan Africa, grain legumes (pulses) are essential food sources and play an important role in sustainable agriculture. Among the major pulse crops, the native cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) and introduced common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) stand out. This paper has two main goals. First, we provide a comprehensive view of the available genet...

The rich endemic flora of the Macaronesian Islands places these oceanic archipelagos among the top biodiversity hotspots worldwide. The radiations that have determined the evolution of many of these insular lineages resulted in a wealth of endemic species, many of which occur in a wide range of ecological niches, but show small distribution areas i...

The rich endemic flora of the Macaronesian Islands places these oceanic archipelagos among the top biodiversity hotspots worldwide. The radiations that have determined the evolution of many of these insular lineages resulted in a wealth of endemic species, many of which occur in a wide range of ecological niches, but show small distribution areas i...