Molecular phylogeny, biogeography, and an e-monograph of the papaya family (Caricaceae) as an example of taxonomy in the electronic age

This dissertation addresses an issue of key importance to the field
of systematics, namely how to foster taxonomic work and the
dissemination of knowledge about species by taking full advantage
of electronic data and bioinformatic tools. I tested and applied
modern systematic tools to produce an electronic monograph of a
family of flowering plants, Caricaceae. In addition to a taxonomic
revision, a molecular phylogeny of the family that includes
representatives of all biological species clarifies the
evolutionary relationships. Based on the plastid and nuclear DNA
data, I inferred historical processes that may have shaped the
evolution of the Caricaceae and explain their current geographic
distribution.