A Revised Phylogeny of the Mentha spicata Clade Reveals Cryptic Species.

ABSTRACT: The genus Mentha is taxonomically and phylogenetically challenging due to complex genomes, polyploidization and an extensive historical nomenclature, potentially hiding cryptic taxa. A straightforward interpretation of phylogenetic relationships within the section Mentha is further hindered by dominant but outdated concepts on historically identified hybrid taxa. Mentha spicata is traditionally considered to be of hybrid origin, but the evidence for this is weak. Here, we aim to understand the phylogenetic relationships within the section Mentha using large sample sizes and to revisit the hybrid status and identity of M. spicata. We show that two of three traditional species in the subsection Spicatae are polyphyletic, as is the subsection as a who

SUBMITTER: Heylen OCG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8074783 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature