Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

Olwen Megan Grace; Sven Buerki; Matthew RE Symonds; Félix Forest; Abraham E van Wyk; Gideon Smith; Ronell R. Klopper; Charlotte S Bjora; Sophie Neale; Demissew Sebsebe; Monique SJ Simmonds; Nina Rønsted

doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

Olwen Megan Grace, Sven Buerki, Matthew RE Symonds, Félix Forest, Abraham E van Wyk, Gideon Smith, Ronell R. Klopper, Charlotte S Bjora, Sophie Neale, Demissew Sebsebe, Monique SJ Simmonds, Nina Rønsted

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Abstract

Background: Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. Results: The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ∼16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ∼10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. Conclusions: Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

Original language	English
Article number	29
Journal	B M C Evolutionary Biology
Volume	15
Number of pages	12
ISSN	1471-2148
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7
Publication status	Published - Feb 2015

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Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe veraFinal published version, 1.36 MB

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Grace, O. M., Buerki, S., Symonds, M. RE., Forest, F., van Wyk, A. E., Smith, G., Klopper, R. R., Bjora, C. S., Neale, S., Sebsebe, D., Simmonds, M. SJ., & Rønsted, N. (2015). Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera. B M C Evolutionary Biology, 15, Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7

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title = "Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera",

abstract = "Background: Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. Results: The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ∼16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ∼10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. Conclusions: Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.",

author = "Grace, {Olwen Megan} and Sven Buerki and Symonds, {Matthew RE} and F{\'e}lix Forest and {van Wyk}, {Abraham E} and Gideon Smith and Klopper, {Ronell R.} and Bjora, {Charlotte S} and Sophie Neale and Demissew Sebsebe and Simmonds, {Monique SJ} and Nina R{\o}nsted",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7",

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T1 - Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

AU - Grace, Olwen Megan

AU - Buerki, Sven

AU - Symonds, Matthew RE

AU - Forest, Félix

AU - van Wyk, Abraham E

AU - Smith, Gideon

AU - Klopper, Ronell R.

AU - Bjora, Charlotte S

AU - Neale, Sophie

AU - Sebsebe, Demissew

AU - Simmonds, Monique SJ

AU - Rønsted, Nina

PY - 2015/2

Y1 - 2015/2

N2 - Background: Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. Results: The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ∼16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ∼10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. Conclusions: Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

AB - Background: Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. Results: The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ∼16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ∼10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. Conclusions: Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

U2 - 10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7

DO - 10.1186/s12862-015-0291-7

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25879886

SN - 1471-2148

VL - 15

JO - B M C Evolutionary Biology

JF - B M C Evolutionary Biology

M1 - 29

ER -

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

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