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Type: Article
Published: 2015-12-24
Page range: 242–252
Abstract views: 26
PDF downloaded: 1

Are they different species or vicariant elevational races of the same species? The case of an Iberian endemic plant, Ranunculus bupleuroides (Ranunculaceae)

Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Área de Botánica. C/ Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain.
Departamento de Botánica. F. Farmacia. Universidad de Granada. Campus de Cartuja, 180072. Granada, Spain.
Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Área de Botánica. C/ Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain. Current address: School of Biological Sciences, Plant Molecular Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K.
Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Área de Botánica. C/ Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain.
Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua, Junta de Andalucía. C/ Joaquina Eguaras nº 10, 18013 Granada, Spain.
Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Área de Botánica. C/ Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain.
endemism integrative taxonomy Mediterranean molecular markers mountain flora phylogeny section Ranuncella species complex Eudicots western Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

The infrageneric taxonomy and evolution of Ranunculus are still not well understood. In this regard, we investigated the origin and genetic diversity of the Iberian endemic plant Ranunculus bupleuroides s.l. by analysis of nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and plastid (rpl32-trnL, rps16-trnQ, trnK-matK, ycf6-psbM) sequence data. Phylogenetic analysis reveals two geographically well supported subclades: one formed by high mountain plants and another by more typical samples of Ranunculus bupleuroides from the lowlands of the western Iberian Peninsula. The subclade of montane plants includes both plants originating in Gredos and Béjar (Ranunculus cherubicus subsp. cherubicus) and those from Sierra Nevada (R. cherubicus subsp. girelai). In the light of the new molecular results obtained, combined with an assessment of morphological, geographical and ecological characters, a new systematic treatment is proposed.