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.
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.
Terrab
Anass
A
Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo. 1095, 41080-Sevilla, Spain.
Ortiz
María Angeles
MA
Talavera
María
M
Ariza
María Jesús
MJ
Moriana
María del Carmen
Mdel C
García-Castaño
Juan Luis
JL
Tremetsberger
Karin
K
Stuessy
Tod F
TF
Baeza
C Marcelo
CM
Urtubey
Estrella
E
Ruas
Claudete de Fátima
Cde F
Casimiro-Soriguer
Ramón
R
Balao
Francisco
F
Gibbs
Peter E
PE
Talavera
Salvador
S
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
D018744:DNA, Plant