Results for: Hybridization

New research sheds light on the tangled evolutionary history of the iconic baobab tree. Originating on the island of Madagascar around 41.1 million years ago, the baobab diversified into eight distinct species, including those found in Africa and Australia. The study suggests that hybridization and environmental changes played a role in their diversification and separation into different species. However, the exact mechanism of their dispersal beyond Madagascar remains an unsolved mystery.

The discovery of the hybridization event that led to the emergence of coffee plants around 600,000 to 1 million years ago has shed light on the origins of one of the world’s most popular beverages. This natural cross-pollination between two other coffee species resulted in a polyploid genome, providing a potential evolutionary advantage and the ability to adapt to diverse environments.