In my PhD research, I focus on the systematics and evolution of the liana genus Uvaria (Annonaceae).

More information about Annas Rabbani

Uvaria (Annonaceae) are a tropical lowland forest in Africa, Continental Asia, Malesia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. All species are climbers (liana) and most parts of their bodies are covered by stellate hairs. We can easily distinguish Uvaria by their spreading flowers and stalked monocarps. However, in Malesia, they have a wide variety of leaf morphology, shape of stellate hairs, details in floral traits, and shape of monocarps. Therefore, these variations of Uvaria in Malesia are interesting to study. In my PhD research, I want to look at the species in Malesia. How many species are there? Did they share a common ancestry? How did they disperse in Malesia in the past? What is the variety of both the microstructure of stellate hairs and the wood anatomy of liana? The answers to these four questions will broaden our knowledge about the taxonomy and the evolutionary history of Uvaria in Malesia.