Recurrent hybridization underlies the evolution of novelty in Gentiana (Gentianaceae) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

ABSTRACT: The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and adjacent areas are centres of diversity for several alpine groups. Although it is known that the QTP acted as a source area for diversification of the alpine genus Gentiana, the evolutionary processes underlying diversity in this genus, especially the formation of narrow endemics, are still poorly understood. Hybridization has been proposed as a driver of plant endemism in the QTP but few cases have been documented with genetic data. Here, we describe a new endemic species in Gentiana section Cruciata as G. hoae sp. nov., and explore its evolutionary history with complete plastid genomes and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence data. Genetic divergence within G. hoae ~3 million years ago was followed

SUBMITTER: Fu PC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7821390 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature