Disparity between morphology and genetics in Urtica dioica (Urticaceae)

0543403 - BÚ 2022 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Rejlová, Ludmila - Böhmová, Alžběta - Chumová, Zuzana - Hořčicová, Šárka - Josefiová, Jiřina - Schmidt, Philipp-André - Trávníček, Pavel - Urfus, Tomáš - Vít, Petr - Chrtek, Jindřich
Disparity between morphology and genetics in Urtica dioica (Urticaceae).
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. Roč. 195, č. 4 (2021), s. 606-621. ISSN 0024-4074. E-ISSN 1095-8339
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA17-20201S
Institutional support: RVO:67985939
Keywords : Hyb-Seq. multivariate morphometrics * phylogeny * polyploid complex
OECD category: Plant sciences, botany
Impact factor: 2.828, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boaa076

Polyploidization is generally considered a major evolutionary force that can alter the genetic diversity, morphology, physiology and ecology of plants. One striking example is the polyploid Urtica dioica complex, in which diploid taxa are often found in remote and partly relictual geographical ranges, in contrast to tetraploid individuals, which have an unknown evolutionary history and occur in a variety of synanthropic habitats. We used a set of 279 plants, evenly representing the geographical and morphological variation of U. dioica s.l. in Europe and Southwest Asia, and employed multivariate and geometric morphometrics and Hyb-Seq sequencing to estimate the extent of differentiation of diploid taxa and the ubiquitous tetraploid cytotype. Diploid subspecies form more-or-less separate clusters in morphological analyses, but our molecular evaluation did not reveal any structure. Moreover, tetraploids coalesced with diploids in both morphological and molecular analyses. This disparity between morphological and molecular data might be driven by (1) local adaptation of the diploid cytotype that is mirrored in specific phenotypes, (2) only recent genetic diversification of the group and (3) homoploid and heteroploid hybridization events.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0320621