Ilia J. Leitch

This paper identifies recurrent triploidy in cultivated enset, showing it increases yield and is selected by farmers.

This study shows bidirectional horizontal gene transfer between maize and Zuloagaea bulbosa, with horizontally transferred genes enriched in biosynthetic gene clusters.

This study reconstructs the evolutionary history of palms using 1,033 nuclear genes and fossil evidence, finding the family originated in the Early Cretaceous and diversified rapidly.

The paper analyzes genome dynamics in Begonia species to link repetitive element expansion with speciation and genetic isolation across different radiations.

The paper tests how genome size, adaptation, and allometry interact to drive speciation in tropical palms using phylogenetic and trait data.

The paper identifies genetic precursors for C4 photosynthesis in grasses and shows that gene turnover facilitated its repeated evolution in the PACMAD lineage.

This study presents a chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation of Alopecurus aequalis, revealing its genetic similarity to barley and expansion of herbicide resistance genes.

The paper develops a flow cytometry protocol to quantify pollen in Papaveraceae species, revealing lineage-specific patterns in pollen-to-ovule ratio reduction.

The paper finds that larger genome sizes in herbaceous angiosperms are associated with higher extinction risk, independent of climate and endemism, and may serve as a proxy for resilience and vulnerability.

The paper presents the first highly contiguous nuclear and organelle genome assemblies for C. pubescens, enabling research on alkaloid biosynthesis and evolutionary relationships within the Rubiaceae family.