Disentangling phylogeography, polyploid evolution and taxonomy of a woodland herb (Veronica chamaedrys group, Plantaginaceae s.l.) in southeastern Europe.

ABSTRACT: Southeastern Europe is a centre of European biodiversity, but very little is known about factors causing the observed richness. Here, we contribute to fill this gap by reconstructing the spatio-temporal diversification of the cytologically variable and taxonomically intricate complex of Veronica chamaedrys (Plantaginaceae s.l.), growing in open forests, forest edges and grasslands, with flow cytometry, molecular markers (AFLPs, plastid DNA sequences) and morphometry. Our results show that both diploid and tetraploid cytotypes are widespread, but diploids predominate on the southern Balkan Peninsula. Plastid sequences suggest a first split into three main lineages in the mid-Pleistocene and a continuous diversification during the last 0.4 my. Two of the identified plastid lineages coincide

SUBMITTER: Bardy KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2989448 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature