Palm Family Research Articles

Genome-wide investigation of MYB gene family in Areca catechu and potential roles of AcTDF in transgenic Arabidopsis.

MYB protein, a crucial transcription factor, holds crucial importance in plant growth, development, stress responses, and secondary metabolite regulation. While MYB proteins have been extensively studied, research on MYBs within the palm family, particularly in Areca catechu, remains limited. This study identified 259 MYB genes in Areca catechu, including 105 1R-MYBs, 150 R2R3-MYBs, 3 3R-MYBs, and 1 4R-MYBs. Physicochemical properties, collinearity, and gene structure of these genes were analyzed. The AcMYB is distributed across 16 chromosomes of A.catechu and has 119 and 195 homologs in Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. Cis-acting elements in the promoter region suggest roles in plant hormones, growth, development, and stress. R2R3-MYB genes were divided into eight groups based on tissue expression profiles. The flowering-related gene AcTDF is highly expressed in male flowers. Overexpression of AcTDF in Arabidopsis promotes early flowering, upregulates AtSOC1 and AtFUL, and enhances tolerance to drought and salt stress. These results provide valuable insights for the identification and analysis of the MYB gene family in Areca catechu and offer a basis for the subsequent verification of its related functions and the role and significance of its role in the evolution of palms.

The Physicochemical and Nutritional Analysis of Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera) Extracted from the Tall Tree Variety

Aims: Coconut (Cocos nucifera) known as the ‘tree of life’ is an ancient fruit belonging to the palm family Arecaceae family and the only species in the genus Cocos. This study aims to characterize and show the nutritional qualities of coconut oil from the tall tree variety. Methodology: The production methods include natural Fermentation, centrifugation, freeze-thawing, and solvent extraction. In physical and chemical properties, the moisture content, impurity, specific gravity, refractive index, oil yield, flash, fire, smoke point, melting point, thiobarbituric acid number, saponification, peroxide, iodine, and fatty acid value were analyzed and all fall within close ranges. Results: The fat-soluble vitamins ranged from 18.65 ± 5.09 (vitamin A), 4.28 ± 0.68 (vitamin E), 4.11 ± 3.11(vitamin D) and 1.03 ± 0.21 (vitamin K) all in mg/100ml. Mineral analysis shows that coconut oil contains calcium, zinc, and iron with concentrations of 2.53 ± 0.23, 1.21 ± 0.19, and 0.53 ± 0.13 in mg/100ml respectively. Fatty acid analysis shows that coconut oil contains lauric, myristic, palmitic, caprylic, oleic, capric, stearic, linoleic, and caproic acid of which lauric acid was the highest with a range of 48.40 ± 0.23. Conclusion: The result shows that coconut is a good source of nutrients and the fatty acids make it a good moisturizer.

Construction and optimization of the TRV-mediated VIGS system in Areca catechu embryoids

Areca catechu, a member of the palm family Arecaceae native to tropical regions, holds significant economic importance as a tropical crop. This study explores the application of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in A. catechu embryogenic callus tissues, utilizing the phytoene desaturase gene (AcPDS) of A. catechu as a reporter gene. Results demonstrate that employing EHA105 strain, an Agrobacterium infection liquid concentration of OD600 = 0.5, an infection duration of 5 min, acetosyringone (AS) concentration of 21.5 mg/L, co-cultivation at 19 °C for 2 days followed by 28 °C for 3 days, and a subsequent 14-day post-co-cultivation period, the experimental group (pTRV1+pTRV2-AcPDS) exhibited significantly reduced gene expression compared to the control group CK (pTRV1+pTRV2), manifesting the anticipated photobleaching phenotype by the 21st day. RT-PCR analysis revealed that AcPDS gene expression in TRV-mediated photobleached A. catechu embryos decreased to 0.227 times that of the control group CK. This established VIGS system in A. catechu embryoids establishes an effective experimental platform for studying functional genes in A. catechu.

Phoenix dactylifera L.: An Overview of Phytochemical Constituents and Impact on Women's Health.

Phoenix dactylifera L. (date palm) is the most significant member of the palm family (Arecaceae), particularly in the Middle East and Arab World. It is a valuable source of both primary and secondary metabolites including sugars, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, carotenoids, phytosterols, terpenes and sphingolipids, besides vitamins and minerals. Besides, it possesses a wide array of pharmacologic activities viz. immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, anti-mutagenic and anti-cancer activities, in addition to its positive effects on male and female fertility. Further research is still required to deeply understand its clinical implications, especially concerning women's health. Moreover, there are other Phoenix species that still need to be investigated to learn more about their undiscovered phytochemical components and biological activities.

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, FTIR CHARACTERIZATION, AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF DOUM PALM (HYPHAENE THEBAICA)

The doum palm fruit (Hyphaene thebaica), a native of northern Africa, is an oval, edible fruit that grows on desert palm trees. It grows extraordinarily well in the northern part of Nigeria as well. It is a member of the palm family Arecaceae. The optimal process for making an aqueous extract from raw doum fruit was determined using the extraction methods. The crushed doum fruit is soaked for 12 days at room temperature in a solution of methanol and ethanol. The plant's crude pericarp powder was used in the new study's phytochemical screening procedure using conventional phytochemical techniques. Tannins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, terpenes, and terpenoids were found in the extract in low and moderate concentrations, according to the phytochemical examination. To get high-spectral-resolution data over a broad spectral range, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is utilized. Doum palm plants are a highly significant source of bioactive components that may be helpful in the creation of novel chemotherapeutic drugs. The results of FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of O-H, C-H, C=C, C=O, C-O, and C-H functional groups. The result shows the frequencies of 3268 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 1719 cm-1, 1607 cm-1, 1443 cm-1 and 1287 cm-1 from Methanol extract and 3283 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 1719 cm-1, 1611 cm-1, 1104 cm-1 and 992 cm-1 from Ethanol extract. The microbial activity of the doum palm fruit extract has shown a greater effect on Salmonella typhi and Escheria coli at high concentration of about both microbial organism but no effect at lower concentration of...

Gene co-expression network analysis in areca floral organ and the potential role of the AcMADS17 and AcMADS23 in transgenic Arabidopsis

Areca catechu L., a monocot belonging to the palm family, is monoecious, with female and male flowers separately distributed on the same inflorescence. To discover the molecular mechanism of flower development in Areca, we sequenced different floral samples to generate tissue-specific transcriptomic profiles. We conducted a comparative analysis of the transcriptomic profiles of apical sections of the inflorescence with male flowers and the basal section of the inflorescence with female flowers. Based on the RNA sequencing dataset, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify sepal, petal, stamen, stigma and other specific modules as well as hub genes involved in specific floral organ development. The syntenic and expression patterns of AcMADS-box genes were analyzed in detail. Furthermore, we analyzed the open chromatin regions and transcription factor PI binding sites in male and female flowers by assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) assay. Heterologous expression revealed the important role of AcMADS17 and AcMADS23 in floral organ development. Our results provide a valuable genomic resource for the functional analysis of floral organ development in Areca.

Genomic analysis of Nypa fruticans elucidates its intertidal adaptations and early palm evolution.

Nypa fruticans (Wurmb), a mangrove palm species with origins dating back to the Late Cretaceous period, is a unique species for investigating long-term adaptation strategies to intertidal environments and the early evolution of palms. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome sequence and assembly for N. fruticans. We integrated the genomes of N. fruticans and other palm family members for a comparative genomic analysis, which confirmed that the common ancestor of all palms experienced a whole-genome duplication event around 89 million years ago, shaping the distinctive characteristics observed in this clade. We also inferred a low mutation rate for the N. fruticans genome, which underwent strong purifying selection and evolved slowly, thus contributing to its stability over a long evolutionary period. Moreover, ancient duplicates were preferentially retained, with critical genes having experienced positive selection, enhancing waterlogging tolerance in N. fruticans. Furthermore, we discovered that the pseudogenization of Early Methionine-labelled 1 (EM1) and EM6 in N. fruticans underly its crypto-vivipary characteristics, reflecting its intertidal adaptation. Our study provides valuable genomic insights into the evolutionary history, genome stability, and adaptive evolution of the mangrove palm. Our results also shed light on the long-term adaptation of this species and contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics in the palm family.

Molecular Phylogenetics and Molecular Dating of Arecaceae In Bangladesh Inferred from Matk and Rbcl Genes

A molecular phylogenetic investigation was undertaken for 30 species belonging to 15 genera of the palm family Arecaceae in Bangladesh to infer evolutionary relationships and molecular dating utilizing plastid-based matK and rbcL genes through multifaceted-algorithm driven approaches with Neighbor-Joining, Maximum-Likelihood, and Bayesian Inference methods. The study revealed that matK has better species discrimination efficiency than rbcL gene due to its highly variable nature. Transition/transversion bias test corroborated this finding as matK showed higher bias (2.632) than rbcL (2.235). Nucleotide substitution patterns were visualized via HYPERMUT program, which unveiled higher variability in matK and lower variability in rbcL alignment. Phylogenetic trees constructed with matK revealed monophyletic nature of origin for all the three subfamilies, viz. Arecoideae, Coryphoideae and Calamoideae, while rbcL trees exhibited polyphyly for Coryphoideae and monophyly for Arecoideae and Calamoideae. All the nine tribes belonging to three subfamilies demonstrated monophyletic nature in matK trees. Bootstrap support and Bayesian posterior probability were found to be higher in matK topologies than that of rbcL. The molecular clock test unraveled an equal evolutionary rate for matK and unequal rate for rbcL sequences. Molecular dating approach unveiled Calamoideae to be the most ancient subfamily (65.75 MYA) among the three subfamilies that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in the Mesozoic era, whereas Coryphoideae and Arecoideae were found to have originated in the Cenozoic era. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 30(2): 213-232, 2023 (December)

High-resolution genetic linkage map and height-related QTLs in an oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) family planted across multiple sites.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01360-2.

Pre-Hispanic terrace agricultural practices and long-distance transfer of plant taxa in the southern-central Peruvian Andes revealed by phytolith and pollen analysis

The archaeological excavation of two abandoned prehispanic agricultural terraces (Infiernillo and Tocotoccasa) in the Chicha-Soras Valley (Apurimac) in southern-central Peru revealed the presence of palaeosols. The palaeosols represent soil that developed following construction of agricultural terraces during the Middle Horizon. The soil profiles at the current surface developed following reconstruction of the terraces during the Late Intermediate Period. Phytolith analysis revealed an unexpected presence of Arecaceae (palm family) and Marantaceae (arrowroot family) in both terraces, which has been attributed to local cultivation and/or transportation and use of soil, dung, plant material or implements (made of Arecaceae) on the terrace surfaces. Pollen analysis of a nearby wetland (Ayapampa) did not provide evidence for Arecaceae or Marantaceae. Both phytolith and pollen analysis of the terraces and wetland (respectively) indicated that Zea mays was cultivated locally during the Middle Horizon and Late Intermediate Period, although phytoliths of maize are absent from the wetland record during the Middle Horizon. The presence of Solanaceae and Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae pollen in the wetland may be indicative of cultivation of further important taxa during the Middle Horizon and Late Intermediate Period, which continued into the Late Horizon together with Zea mays.

Hiding in plain sight: The underground palm Pinanga subterranea

The production of flowers and fruit below ground (geoflory and geocarpy, respectively) is a paradoxical reproductive strategy that seemingly hinders pollination and dispersal. Though rare, these phenomena occur in 33 angiosperm families. Plants that flower and fruit entirely below ground are exceptionally unusual. Pinanga subterranea (Arecaceae), a species new to science from Borneo, is the first member of the palm family recorded to flower and fruit almost exclusively below ground. This raises many questions about its evolution, pollination and dispersal, which we discuss here. Strikingly, this remarkable species is widespread across western Borneo and valued by the local people for its edible fruits but has escaped the attention of scientists until now.

Effect of date palm cultivars on chemical and phytochemical properties of date vinegars

Introduction: Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. Dates are high in dietary fibre and antioxidant compounds, known for preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This research studied the chemical properties, antioxidant activities, and total phenolic content of fermented date vinegars from Phoenix dactylifera L. fruits, which had three cultivars - Barhi, Siam S1, and KL1. Methods: The first step was making date wines by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.75% v/v of date juice content) to produce alcohol; the second step was making date vinegars by using Acetobacter pasteurianus (10% v/v of inoculum). Thereafter, the wines and vinegars were analysed for their chemical properties [high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)], antioxidant activities [2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay], and total phenolic content (folin ciocalteu method). Results: Results showed that the highest alcohol content was 9.35% (v/v) in Siam S1 wine. The highest acetic acid was 7% (v/v) in Siam S1 vinegar. From the phytochemical analysis of vinegars, the highest antioxidant activity was found to be 24.96 mg/mL in Siam S1 vinegar, while the highest total phenolic content was found to be 208.35 mg GAE/L in KL1 vinegar. Conclusion: This novel research showed that the Siam S1 date had the highest acetic acid and antioxidant activity in vinegar. Thus, this cultivar could be processed to make new, healthy products that can further lead to income generation for the people in Thailand.

Nutritional qualities and fluoride content of different date (Phoenix dactylifer) varieties consumed in Morocco

The date is a fruit of the palm family (Phoenix dactylifer), grown in Morocco in the southern regions. It is a very important fruit in the Moroccan table, especially during Ramadan (9th month of the Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar consisting of 354 days), where it becomes an essential food that is very nutritious and invigorating to the breaking of the fast added to milk. The present work aimed to determine the contents of mineral elements (fluorine, calcium, magnesium and chlorides) and sugar levels (Brix, glucose) of 12 varieties: Ajwa (Saudi Arabia), Deglet nour (Algeria), Anbara (Saudi Arabia), Anbara (United Arab Emirates), Boufeggous (Errachidia; Morocco), Aziza (Figuig; Morocco), Majhoul (Erfoud; Morocco) Majhoul (Errachidia; Morocco), Elkhalsse (Tafilalt; Morocco) Tarzawa (Tafilalt; Morocco), Deglet nour (Tunisia), Majhoul Sghir (Tafilalt; Morocco)) of dates marketed in Morocco of North African and Middle Eastern origin. Fluoride analyses were performed using a fluoride-specific ion electrode (HI-4110). The analyses of Ca, Mg, Cl and glucose levels were performed by Spectrophotometric methods. The results of the fluoride levels revealed in the different varieties of dates varied from 0.26 to 1.05 mg in 100g of fresh weight. The sucrose and glucose levels varied between 11.8 g to 17.75 g and 18 to 40.9 g in 100g of fresh date weight, respectively. The Mg, Ca and Cl levels varied between 46.89 to 93.71mg, 11.20 to 279.28 mg and 30.66 to 47.33 mg in 100g fresh date weight, respectively. Thus, it is possible to classify the varieties of dates on the basis of their nutritional qualities and mode of consumption and to warn the population about their consumption in excess with the risk (if any) of an attack of dental or osseous fluorosis.

Direct leaf-peeling method for areca protoplasts: a simple and efficient system for protoplast isolation and transformation in areca palm (Areca catechu)

BackgroundAreca palm (Areca catechu) is a woody perennial plant of both economical and medicinal importance grown in tropical and subtropical climates. Yet, the molecular biology study of areca palm is extremely impeded by its unavailability of a transformation method. An efficient protoplast isolation and transformation system could be highly desirable to overcome this barrier.ResultsHere, we described a simple and efficient method for protoplast isolation and transformation from the perennial plant areca palm. A high yield of protoplasts (2.5 × 107 protoplasts per gram of fresh leaf tissues) was obtained from the fresh light green leaflet from the newly-emerged leaf digested overnight in the enzyme solution [2% (w/v) cellulase R10, 0.5% (w/v) macerozyme R10, 0.7 M mannitol, 10 mM CaCl2, 20 mM KCl, 20 mM MES and 0.1% (w/v) BSA, pH 5.7] by the direct leaf-peeling method. The isolated areca protoplasts maintain viability of 86.6% and have been successfully transformed with a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged plasmid (pGreen0029-GFP, 6.0 kb) via the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation. Moreover, the mannitol concentration (optimal: 0.7 M) was determined as a key factor affecting areca protoplast isolation. We also demonstrated that the optimal density of areca protoplast for efficient transformation was at 1.0–1.5 × 106 cells/ml. With the optimization of transformation parameters, we have achieved a relatively high transformation efficiency of nearly 50%.ConclusionWe have established the first efficient protocol for the high-yield isolation and transformation of areca palm protoplasts. This method shall be applied in various biological studies of areca palm, such as gene function analysis, genome editing, protein trafficking and localization and protein–protein interaction. In addition, the protoplast system offers a great genetic transformation approach for the woody perennial plant-areca palm. Moreover, the established platform may be applied in protoplast isolation and transformation for other important species in the palm family, including oil palm and coconut.

Wood and leaf remains of palms with affinities to Sabal Adans., from the middle Eocene of Turkey

Two new fossil species based on the study of wood remains and leaf imprints from the middle Eocene Çekerek Formation (central-northern part of Turkey) are assigned to the palm family Arecaceae. Standard thin sections from the two samples of fossil wood were investigated and identified as Palmoxylon sabaloides Greguss 1969, with close xylotomical affinities to the modern genus Sabal Adans. The leaf imprints are weakly costapalmate and correspond to the genus Sabal as well. Based on the short petiole extension (costa), the leaves resemble the fossil-species Sabal lamanonis (Brongn.) Heer, 1855. This fossil-species was abundant in Paleogene strata of western and southwestern Europe but has only rarely been described from Cenozoic strata of the Eastern Mediterranean region. The presence of this species, in combination with previously reported pollen records of mangrove palms, indicate warm (sub)tropical conditions in the middle Eocene of north-central Turkey and may reflect the Middle Eocene Climate Optimum (MECO).

A Chromosome-level Reference Genome of African Oil Palm Provides Insights into Its Divergence and Stress Adaptation

The palm family (Arecaceae), consisting of ∼ 2600 species, is the third most economically important family of plants. The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is one of the most important palms. However, the genome sequences of palms that are currently available are still limited and fragmented. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of an oil palm, Dura, assembled by integrating long reads with ∼ 150× genome coverage. The assembled genome was 1.7 Gb in size, covering 94.5% of the estimated genome, of which 91.6% was assigned into 16 pseudochromosomes and 73.7% was repetitive sequences. Relying on the conserved synteny with oil palm, the existing draft genome sequences of both date palm and coconut were further assembled into chromosomal level. Transposon burst, particularly long terminal repeat retrotransposons, following the last whole-genome duplication, likely explains the genome size variation across palms. Sequence analysis of the VIRESCENS gene in palms suggests that DNA variations in this gene are related to fruit colors. Recent duplications of highly tandemly repeated pathogenesis-related proteins from the same tandem arrays play an important role in defense responses to Ganoderma. Whole-genome resequencing of both ancestral African and introduced oil palms in Southeast Asia reveals that genes under putative selection are notably associated with stress responses, suggesting adaptation to stresses in the new habitat. The genomic resources and insights gained in this study could be exploited for accelerating genetic improvement and understanding the evolution of palms.

Investigation of ornamental plants of the palm family in public and private space in Ho Chi Minh City and their application in landscape design

The study was conducted from January 2021 to April 2022 in a number of public parks, residential parks in urban areas, major streets and boulevards, and coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City. The study was performed by using survey forms, taking pictures and collecting samples. Identification of trees was done by morphological comparison and analysis of collected data, and then information was used for landscape design via using professional design softwares. The results showed that 23 species belonging to 20 genera of the Arecaceae family were identified. Public parks had 22/23 species while residential parks, coffee shops and streets had 17/23 species, 8/23 species and 4/23 species, respectively. Trees of the Arecaceae family identified included 16 species with solitary stem and pinnate (69.5%) and 7 species with clustered trunk and palmate (30.5%). Sketchup, Lumion, and Photoshop softwares could be used for conceptual design that combines the palm trees and other species in the landscape.

Neuroprotective role of coconut oil for the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease: potential mechanisms of action

ABSTRACT Neurodegenerative disease (ND) is a clinical condition in which neurons degenerate with a consequent loss of functions in the affected brain region. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most progressive ND after Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which affects the motor system and is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons from the nigrostriatal pathway in the midbrain, leading to bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, postural instability and non-motor symptoms such as cognitive declines, psychiatric disturbances, autonomic failures, sleep difficulties, and pain syndrome. Coconut oil (CO) is an edible oil obtained from the meat of Cocos nucifera fruit that belongs to the palm family and contains 92% saturated fatty acids. CO has been shown to mediate oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis and excitotoxicity-induced effects in PD in various in vitro and in vivo models as a multi-target bioagent. CO intake through diet has also been linked to a decreased incidence of PD in people. During digestion, CO is broken down into smaller molecules, like ketone bodies (KBs). The KBs then penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and are used as a source of energy its ability to cross BBB made this an important class of natural remedies for the treatment of ND. The current review describes the probable neuroprotective potential pathways of CO in PD, either prophylactic or therapeutic. In addition, we briefly addressed the important pathogenic pathways that might be considered to investigate the possible use of CO in neurodegeneration such as AD and PD.

The ecology of palm genomes: repeat-associated genome size expansion is constrained by aridity.

Genome size varies 2400-fold across plants, influencing their evolution through changes in cell size and cell division rates which impact plants' environmental stress tolerance. Repetitive element expansion explains much genome size diversity, and the processes structuring repeat 'communities' are analogous to those structuring ecological communities. However, which environmental stressors influence repeat community dynamics has not yet been examined from an ecological perspective. We measured genome size and leveraged climatic data for 91% of genera within the ecologically diverse palm family (Arecaceae). We then generated genomic repeat profiles for 141 palm species, and analysed repeats using phylogenetically informed linear models to explore relationships between repeat dynamics and environmental factors. We show that palm genome size and repeat 'community' composition are best explained by aridity. Specifically, Ty3-gypsy and TIR elements were more abundant in palm species from wetter environments, which generally had larger genomes, suggesting amplification. By contrast, Ty1-copia and LINE elements were more abundant in drier environments. Our results suggest that water stress inhibits repeat expansion through selection on upper genome size limits. However, elements that may associate with stress-response genes (e.g. Ty1-copia) have amplified in arid-adapted palm species. Overall, we provide novel evidence of climate influencing the assembly of repeat 'communities'.

From monocots to dicots: host shifts in Afrotropical derelomine weevils shed light on the evolution of non-obligatory brood pollination mutualism

AbstractWeevils from the tribe Derelomini (Curculionidae: Curculioninae) are specialized brood pollinators engaged in mutualistic relationships with several angiosperm lineages. In brood pollination systems, reproductive plant tissues are used for the development of insect larval stages, whereas adult insects pollinate their plant hosts as a reward. The evolutionary history of derelomines in relationship to their hosts is poorly understood and potentially contrasts with other brood pollination systems, wherein a pollinator lineage is usually associated with a single host plant family. In the case of Afrotropical Derelomini, host records indicate a diverse host repertoire consisting of several families of monocot and dicot plants. In this study, we investigate their phylogenetic relationships, timing of diversification and evolution of host use. Our results suggest that derelomine lineages started their diversification ~40 Mya. Reconstructions of host use evolution support an ancestral association with the monocotyledonous palm family (Arecaceae), followed by several shifts towards other plant families in Afrotropical lineages, especially to dicotyledonous plants from the family Ebenaceae (on the genus Euclea L.). Some level of phylogenetic conservatism of host use is recovered for the lineages associated with either palms or Euclea. Multiple instances of sympatric weevil assemblages on the same plant are also unravelled, corresponding to either single or independent colonization events. Overall, the diversity of hosts colonized and the frequency of sympatric assemblages highlighted in non-obligatory plant–derelomine brood pollination systems contrast with what is generally expected from plant–insect brood pollination systems.