title: Disentangling Phylogenetic Relationships in a Hotspot of Diversity: The Butterworts (Pinguicula L., Lentibulariaceae) Endemic to Italy.
abstract: The genus Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) consists of about 100 carnivorous species, also known as butterworts. Eleven taxa are endemic to Italy, which represents a biodiversity hotspot for butterworts in Europe. The aim of our study was to provide a phylogenetic framework for the Italian endemics, in order to: a) investigate the relationships between species in this group; b) evaluate their actual taxonomic value. To achieve this, we analysed all the taxa endemic to Italy, along with several other species, by means of ITS nrDNA analysis. Our results clarify the relationships between Italian endemics and other Pinguicula taxa identifying a basal polytomy defined by five clades. All of the Italian endemics (with the exception of P. lavalvae) fall within a single large clade, which includes P. vulgaris and allied species. Among them, P. poldinii represents the most isolated lineage. Other taxa show strong molecular similarities and form a single subclade, although their taxonomic ranks can be retained. Pinguicula lattanziae sp. nov., seemingly endemic to Liguria (NW Italy), is also described.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4861-3960
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innangi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Maio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Menale
authors.affiliation: Centro Conservazione Biodiversità, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bacchetta
authors.affiliation: Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen, Hyères, France.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen, Hyères, France.
authors.forename: Virgile
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.affiliation: Abitazione, Prato, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gestri
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Camerino-Centro Ricerche Floristiche dell'Appennino, Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, Barisciano (L'Aquila), Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peruzzi
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D007558:Italy; D000068378:Lamiales / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D010802:Phylogeny