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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Systematics, Phylogeny, and Evolution of Papaver californicum and Stylomecon heterophylla (Papaveraceae)

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Abstract We present a detailed comparison of Papaver californicum and Stylomecon heterophylla, which earlier were found to be sister species and most closely related to Meconopsis cambrica + Papaver s.str. from western Eurasia. The two species of winter annuals differ mainly in the shape of their distal cauline leaves, coloration of petals and staminal filaments, and most notably morphology of the gynoecium and capsule, with Papaver californicum having a sessile stigmatic disc and Stylomecon heterophylla having a distinct style. They were earlier found to differ in ploidy, with chromosome numbers of 2n  =  28 (Papaver californicum) and 2n  =  56 (Stylomecon heterophylla). Mapped distributions of the two species indicate that the range of S. heterophylla encompasses and exceeds that of P. californicum; both are known only from the California Floristic Province except for one collection of S. heterophylla from central Baja California. Whereas Papaver californicum is most commonly found in burn localities in...