The rapid radiation of Bomarea (Alstroemeriaceae: Liliales), driven by the rise of the Andes.

This article focuses on the rapid evolutionary radiation of the tropical plant genus Bomarea (Alstroemeriaceae: Liliales) and how the rise of the Andes Mountains influenced its diversification and biogeographic history. Using a well-sampled phylogeny inferred from genome-scale data and multispecies coalescent methods, the study finds that Bomarea originated in southern South America during the mid-Miocene (~7.7 million years ago) and subsequently spread northward, tracking Andean uplift. The Andes acted as both a corridor and a driver of diversification, with Andean lineages exhibiting higher net diversification rates than non-Andean relatives, supporting the disturbance-species-pump hypothesis that geological upheaval promotes biodiversity. The research also highlights the utility and challenges of applying target-capture genomic data and careful bioinformatic curation to resolve recent rapid radiations in tropical plant lineages.