The evolution of dioecy and adaptation to xeric conditions in Hechtia (Bromeliaceae) is lead by graduate student Josh Felton in the Specht Lab.

The genus is a unique group of bromeliads, distinguished by its exclusively dioecious, terrestrial, and succulent species. With approximately 95 species, Hechtia is found from the southern United States to northern Central America. It belongs to the subfamily Hechtioideae, for which no genomes have been sequenced. Given its adaptations to xeric environments, as well as its dioecy and floral dimorphism, sequencing Hechtia genomes could offer valuable insights into the evolutionary processes and reproductive strategies shaping both the genus and the broader subfamily

Link to data on the Sequence Read Archive