( ( In ( ( the absence ) ( of ( placental mammals ) ) ) ) ( ( ( the marsupials ) ( of Australia ) ) ( ( were ( free ( to ( ( ( evolve ( in ( splendid isolation ) ) ) and ) ( ( adaptively radiated ) ( into ( ( a ( large number ) ) ( of ( diverse types ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN In) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN absence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (JJ placental) (NNS mammals))))) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS marsupials)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNP Australia)))) (VP (VBD were) (ADJP (JJ free) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VP (VB evolve) (PP (IN in) (NP (JJ splendid) (NN isolation)))) (CC and) (VP (ADJP (RB adaptively) (JJ radiated)) (PP (IN into) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ large) (NN number)) (PP (IN of) (NP (JJ diverse) (NNS types))))))))))) (. .)))
In the absence of placental mammals the marsupials of Australia were free to evolve in splendid isolation and adaptively radiated into a large number of diverse types.
(ROOT (S (NP (JJ Placental) (NNS mammals)) (VP (VBP give) (NP (NN birth)) (PP (TO to) (NP (ADJP (RB relatively) (JJ large)) (NNS fetuses)))) (. .)))