Cardamine maritima Group (brassicaceae) in the Amphi-Adriatic area: A Hotspot of Species Diversity Revealed by DNA Sequences and Morphological Variation

The Western Balkans, characterized by high rates of endemism, are recognized as one the most diverse and speciesrich areas of Europe. The present study focuses on diploid speciation in a poorly explored ancestral group of the genus Cardamine that is distributed in the amphi-Adriatic territory. Morph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Taxon 2010-02, Vol.59 (1), p.148-164
Main Authors: Kučera, Jaromír, Marhold, Karol, Lihová, Judita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological taxonomies
Calyx
Cardamine
chalcone synthase
Datasets
Evolution
Leaves
morphometrics
nuclear ribosomal ITS
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Plant morphology
Plants
Speciation
Taxa
Trnl-trnf
western Balkans
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Summary:The Western Balkans, characterized by high rates of endemism, are recognized as one the most diverse and speciesrich areas of Europe. The present study focuses on diploid speciation in a poorly explored ancestral group of the genus Cardamine that is distributed in the amphi-Adriatic territory. Morphological data and DNA sequences (plastid trnL intron and trnL-trnF spacer, ITS of nrDNA, and single-copy nuclear gene CHS) were used to address taxonomic, phylogenetic and evolutionary questions. Recognition of several previously described, but recently not accepted narrow endemics is supported (C. fialae, C. rupestrics, C. serbica). Cardamine maritima s.str. is segregated into three distinct entities, which were given species rank. A new taxonomic concept of the group is proposed, including identification key, synonymy, typifications, C. montenegrina sp. nov. and C. adriatica nom. nov. Chloroplast data indicate radiation of the ancestral lineage into a series of distinct endemic species; lack of resolution an internal nodes and incongruence with nuclear phylogenies suggest that this radiation occured rapidly. Nuclear data indicate more recent hybridization events. It is assumed that glacial-induced local-scale and altitudinal migrations along the Balkan coastline and an adjacent massifs caused contracts between previously isolated populations, resulting in occassional interspecific gene-flow. Trans-Adriatic contacts and gene exchange are also suggested.
ISSN:0040-0262
1996-8175
DOI:10.1002/tax.591015