Using microsatellites and cpDNA sequences, we have analyzed genetic diversity and structure and evaluated levels of introgression of 19 populations from the Centaurea alba complex from subsection Phalolepis and six taxa from the closely related subsections Centaurea and Willkommia from the Iberian Peninsula. Genetic differentiation among the different populations of the C. alba complex was lower than those found in the Italian/northern-central Balkans, Greek, and Anatolian populations of subsect. Phalolepis. The lower genetic differentiation among the populations of the Iberian Peninsula compared to the other Mediterranean peninsulas may be due to intraspecific higher levels of admixture but also to a considerable degree of introgression with species that grow in close proximity. Although there is a significant pattern of isolation by distance within the C. alba complex, we have found considerable levels of gene flow between taxa, both recent and historical. Hybridization and introgression were also evident, as it is often observed within the genus. Patterns of genetic structure support the recognition of C. alba and C. costae as different species.

中文翻译：

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伊比利亚半岛的 Centaurea alba 复合体：基因流、基因渗入和模糊的遗传边界

使用微卫星和 cpDNA 序列，我们分析了遗传多样性和结构，并评估了来自 Phalolepis 分段的 Centaurea alba 复合体的 19 个种群和来自伊比利亚半岛的密切相关的 Centaurea 和 Willkommia 分段的六个分类群的基因渗入水平。C. alba 复合体不同种群之间的遗传分化低于在意大利/中北部巴尔干半岛、希腊和安纳托利亚种群中发现的那些。凤尾鱼。与其他地中海半岛相比，伊比利亚半岛种群之间的遗传差异较低可能是由于种内较高的混合水平，但也可能是由于与生长在附近的物种有相当程度的基因渗入。尽管在 C. alba 复合体中存在明显的距离隔离模式，但我们发现分类群之间的基因流动水平相当高，无论是近期的还是历史的。杂交和基因渗入也很明显，因为它经常在属内观察到。遗传结构模式支持将 C. alba 和 C. costae 识别为不同的物种。