title: Disentangling relationships among the diploid members of the intricate genus Knautia (Caprifoliaceae, Dipsacoideae).
abstract: The genus Knautia (Caprifoliaceae, Dipsacoideae) encompasses 40-60 species mainly distributed in western Eurasia, with highest species diversity in the Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. It is traditionally regarded as one of the taxonomically most challenging European genera due to the widespread occurrence of polyploidy, the high incidence of hybridisation and the maintenance of morphologically intermediate forms. A prerequisite for assessing the complex spatiotemporal diversification of a polyploid group is a comprehensive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships among its diploid members. To this end, DNA sequence data (nrDNA ITS and plastid petN(ycf6)-psbM) combined with AFLP fingerprinting were performed on 148 diploid populations belonging to 35 taxa. Phylogenies obtained by maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses were used to test the monophyly of the genus and its three sections Trichera, Tricheroides and Knautia, to provide insights into its evolutionary history and to test previous hypotheses of inter- and intrasectional classification. Both nuclear and chloroplast datasets support the monophyly of Knautia and its three sections, with ambiguous placement of K. cf. degenii. The majority of species belong to the nearly exclusively perennial section Trichera (x=10). Within section Trichera all markers revealed largely unresolved phylogenetic relationships suggesting rapid radiation and recent range expansion. In addition, extensive sharing of plastid haplotypes across taxa and wide geographic ranges of plastid haplotypes and ribotype groups were observed. The molecular data are partly at odds with the traditional informal grouping of taxa within section Trichera. Whereas the traditional groups of K. dinarica, K. drymeia and K. montana can be maintained, the new, smaller and well supported Midzorensis and Pancicii Groups as well as the SW European Group are separated from the heterogeneous traditional K. longifolia group. The former groups of K. arvensis, K. dalmatica, K. fleischmannii and K. velutina are clearly polyphyletic. Their diploid members have to be rearranged into the Xerophytic Group, the Carinthiaca Group, and the Northern and Southern Arvensis Groups. The annual sections Tricheroides (x=10) and Knautia (x=8) with only a few taxa are resolved in the ITS and plastid trees on long branches as early diverging lineages within the genus.
authors: Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 9a, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: ivana.resetnik@biol.pmf.hr.
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Rešetnik
authors: Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: bozo.frajman@uibk.ac.at.
authors: Božo
authors: B
authors: Frajman
authors: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: sbogdanovic@agr.hr.
authors: Sandro
authors: S
authors: Bogdanović
authors: Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: friedrich.ehrendorfer@univie.ac.at.
authors: Friedrich
authors: F
authors: Ehrendorfer
authors: Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: peter.schoenswetter@uibk.ac.at.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Schönswetter
mesh_terms: D027922:Caprifoliaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D004171:Diploidy; D049917:Dipsacaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010802:Phylogeny; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
keywords: Annuals versus perennials; Caprifoliaceae; Haplotype sharing; Hybridisation; Knautia; Polyploidy