Ana Cortinhas1, Matthias Erben1, Ana Paula Paes1, Dalila Espírito Santo2, Miguel Guara-Requena1, Ana D Caperta3. 1. Plant Diversity and Conservation Group, Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura (CBAA), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal, Department of Biology I, Section Biodiversity Research & Systematic Botany, Maximilian University of Munich, Menzinger Straße 67, D-80638 München, Germany, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada Prof. Baeta Neves (CEABN), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal and Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Spain. 2. Plant Diversity and Conservation Group, Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura (CBAA), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal, Department of Biology I, Section Biodiversity Research & Systematic Botany, Maximilian University of Munich, Menzinger Straße 67, D-80638 München, Germany, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada Prof. Baeta Neves (CEABN), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal and Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Spain Plant Diversity and Conservation Group, Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura (CBAA), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal, Department of Biology I, Section Biodiversity Research & Systematic Botany, Maximilian University of Munich, Menzinger Straße 67, D-80638 München, Germany, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada Prof. Baeta Neves (CEABN), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal and Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Spain. 3. Plant Diversity and Conservation Group, Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura (CBAA), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal, Department of Biology I, Section Biodiversity Research & Systematic Botany, Maximilian University of Munich, Menzinger Straße 67, D-80638 München, Germany, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada Prof. Baeta Neves (CEABN), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal and Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Spain Plant Diversity and Conservation Group, Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura (CBAA), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal, Department of Biology I, Section Biodiversity Research & Systematic Botany, Maximilian University of Munich, Menzinger Straße 67, D-80638 München, Germany, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada Prof. Baeta Neves (CEABN), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa (ULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal and Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Spain anadelaunay@isa.ulisboa.pt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Limonium is a well-known example of a group of plants that is taxonomically complex due to certain biological characteristics that hamper species' delineation. The closely related polyploid species Limonium vulgare Mill., L. humile Mill. and L. narbonense Mill. are defined species and can be used for studying patterns of morphological and reproductive variation. The first two taxa are usually found in Atlantic Europe and the third in the Mediterranean region, but a number of intermediate morphological forms may be present alongside typical examples of these species. This study attempts to elucidate morphological, floral and karyological diversity representative of these taxa in the Iberian Peninsula. METHODS: The extent of morphological differentiation was tested through comparison of 197 specimens from both Portugal and Spain using 17 descriptive morphological characters and 19 diagnostic morphometric characters. Analyses of floral morphisms (heterostyly and pollen-stigma dimorphism) and karyological determinations were also conducted. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Discriminant analysis using morphometric variables reliably assigned individuals in natural populations to their respective groups. In addition, the results provide the first direct evidence that L. narbonense and a new species, LIMONIUM MARITIMUM: Caperta, Cortinhas, Paes, Guara, Espírito-Santo and Erben, SP NOV: , related to L. vulgare are present on Portuguese coasts. Most of these species are found together in mixed populations, especially L. vulgare and L. narbonense. It is hypothesized that taxonomic biodiversity found in sites where distinct species co-occur facilitates the evolutionary processes of hybridization, introgression and apomixis. This study therefore contributes to the elucidation of the taxonomic diversity in L. vulgare-related species and may also help in implementing future conservation programmes to maintain the evolutionary processes generating biodiversity.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Limonium is a well-known example of a group of plants that is taxonomically complex due to certain biological characteristics that hamper species' delineation. The closely related polyploid species Limonium vulgare Mill., L. humile Mill. and L. narbonense Mill. are defined species and can be used for studying patterns of morphological and reproductive variation. The first two taxa are usually found in Atlantic Europe and the third in the Mediterranean region, but a number of intermediate morphological forms may be present alongside typical examples of these species. This study attempts to elucidate morphological, floral and karyological diversity representative of these taxa in the Iberian Peninsula. METHODS: The extent of morphological differentiation was tested through comparison of 197 specimens from both Portugal and Spain using 17 descriptive morphological characters and 19 diagnostic morphometric characters. Analyses of floral morphisms (heterostyly and pollen-stigma dimorphism) and karyological determinations were also conducted. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Discriminant analysis using morphometric variables reliably assigned individuals in natural populations to their respective groups. In addition, the results provide the first direct evidence that L. narbonense and a new species, LIMONIUM MARITIMUM: Caperta, Cortinhas, Paes, Guara, Espírito-Santo and Erben, SP NOV: , related to L. vulgare are present on Portuguese coasts. Most of these species are found together in mixed populations, especially L. vulgare and L. narbonense. It is hypothesized that taxonomic biodiversity found in sites where distinct species co-occur facilitates the evolutionary processes of hybridization, introgression and apomixis. This study therefore contributes to the elucidation of the taxonomic diversity in L. vulgare-related species and may also help in implementing future conservation programmes to maintain the evolutionary processes generating biodiversity.
Authors: Ana Sofia Róis; Carlos M Rodríguez López; Ana Cortinhas; Matthias Erben; Dalila Espírito-Santo; Michael J Wilkinson; Ana D Caperta Journal: BMC Plant Biol Date: 2013-12-06 Impact factor: 4.215
Authors: Ana Sofia Róis; Generosa Teixeira; Timothy F Sharbel; Jörg Fuchs; Sérgio Martins; Dalila Espírito-Santo; Ana D Caperta Journal: Sex Plant Reprod Date: 2012-10-20
Authors: Ana Sofia Róis; Flávio Sádio; Octávio S Paulo; Generosa Teixeira; Ana Paula Paes; Dalila Espírito-Santo; Timothy F Sharbel; Ana D Caperta Journal: Ann Bot Date: 2015-09-30 Impact factor: 4.357