0000000000760831
AUTHOR
Mark A. Carine
The monophyly and evolution of Cynara L. (Asteraceae) sensu lato: evidence from the Internal Transcribed Spacer region of nrDNA
The monophyly and evolution of Cynara was investigated using ITS sequence data. Parsimony analysis supports the monophyly of Cynara sensu lato, i.e. including the distinctive taxa C. humilis and C. tournefortii. This contradicts the recent decision to create a new monotypic genus Arcyna for C. tournefortii. A hypothesised close relationship between C. tournefortii and Silybum Adans. is also refuted. Four of the five species of Cynara, for which multiple accessions were sequenced, were shown to be monophyletic but C. baetica was found to be non-monophyletic. Free energy estimates for ITS1 secondary structure and conservation of the 5.8S region suggest that this is not due to the occurrence o…
Taxonomy and evolution of the Convolvulus sabatius complex (Convolvulaceae)
A revision of the Convolvulus sabatius complex is presented and five taxa are now recognised. Convolvulus valentinus is re-circumscribed to comprise only blue-flowered individuals. Yellow-flowered plants previously referred to this species are transferred to C. supinus where they are recognised as a distinct variety: C. supinus var. melliflorus, comb nov. Variation in intensity of flower colour, pubescence and leaf shape among blue-flowered C. valentinus is highly variable within populations and in contrast to earlier treatments, no infraspecific taxa based on these traits are recognised. Despite suggestions to the contrary, the delimitation of the cultivated ornamental C. sabatius and its …
Taxonomic uncertainty and a continental conundrum:Polypodium macaronesicumreassessed
Data from the chloroplast trnL-F region are used to test the delimitation of putative diploid species in the Polypodium cambricum aggregate. In particular, we investigate the distinctiveness of the Macaronesian Polypodium macaronesicum, P. azoricum and the continental P. cambricum, investigate molecular diversity patterns within Macaronesia and establish the identity of putative P. macaronesicum material collected from an area in southern Spain, where it co-occurs with other Macaronesian elements. The analysis supports the distinction of Macaronesian and continental plants, with accessions from Macaronesia resolved as monophyletic. Greater haplotype diversity was found in Macaronesia than o…
Molecular and morphological evidence for hybridization between endemic Canary Island Convolvulus
Morphological data and molecular data from the chloroplast trnH-psbA region and nuclear ribosomal ITS region are used to test the hypothesis that the problematic Canary Island endemic Convolvulus floridus var. virgatus is a hybrid between the endemic species C. floridus and C. scoparius. Analysis of mean leaf length and width of 58 individuals indicates that accessions referable to C. floridus var. virgatus are intermediate between the parental taxa in leaf dimensions. Direct sequencing of the ITS region of C. scoparius and C. floridus revealed two species-specific ribotypes distinguished by 10 base differences. Examination of ITS chromatograms for putative hybrids revealed polymorphisms at…