title: AFLP and breeding system studies indicate vicariance origin for scattered populations and enigmatic low fecundity in the Moroccan endemic Hypochaeris angustifolia (Asteraceae), sister taxon to all of the South American Hypochaeris species.
abstract: We used Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism markers (AFLP) and breeding system studies to investigate the population structure and reproductive biology of Hypochaeris angustifolia (Asteraceae: Cichorieae). This species is endemic to altiplanos of the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) where it occurs in scattered populations, and it is the sister species to c. 40 species of this genus in South America. PCoA, NJ, and Bayesian clustering, revealed that the populations are very isolated whilst AFLP parameters show that almost all populations have marked genetic divergence. We contend that these features are more in accord with a vicariance origin for the scattered populations of H. angustifolia, rather than establishment by long-distance dispersal. The breeding system studies revealed that H. angustifolia is a self-incompatible species, with low fecundity in natural and in experimental crosses, probably due to a low frequency of compatible phenotypes within and between the populations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo. 1095, 41080-Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Anass
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terrab
authors.forename: María Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ariza
authors.forename: María del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Moriana
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: García-Castaño
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tremetsberger
authors.forename: Tod F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Stuessy
authors.forename: C Marcelo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baeza
authors.forename: Estrella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Urtubey
authors.forename: Claudete de Fátima
authors.initials: Cde F
authors.lastname: Ruas
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casimiro-Soriguer
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balao
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talavera
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D009018:Morocco; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant