Members of the genus Sesleria are important vegetation elements and are regarded as diagnostic or constant species in many plant communities. However, their identification is often problematic due to their similar morphology and phenotypic plasticity. Although the genus has been studied by many specialists, numerous taxonomic problems remain unresolved. A controversial issue is the alleged presence

In order to clarify the genetic differentiation and reproductive traits of mixed polyploid populations in Parasenecio kamtschaticus complex, geographical distribution, genetic diversity, and reproductive performance were compared among three intraspecific types composed of two cytotypes and two varieties in Japan. Diploid P. kamtschaticus var. kamtschaticus (2×-kamtschaticus) was distributed at the

A new finding of the rare chile Capsicum eshbaughii (Solanaceae), whose location in the field had repeatedly failed in the past, is here reported. The species is poorly known and therefore new data on flowers, fruits, seeds, and chromosome number are provided. The relationships of C. eshbaughii, particularly relative to C. eximium, are explored based on DNA sequence data. Phylogenetic relationships

Limited data are available on genetic structures of the herbaceous plant species populations inhabiting mountainous areas of Siberia and Northeastern Asian (Russian Far East). Although this area was not directly impacted by the extensive ice-sheets during the Quaternary, it experienced significant climatic fluctuations that influenced rich local flora. Orostachys spinosa (Crassulaceae) lacks any adaptations

The occurrence of epidermal crystals in the species of the genus Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) is described and analyzed. The epidermal surface of 190 Acalypha specimens, belonging to 110 species and subspecies, was studied with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the elemental composition of the found crystals was examined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results

Entomophilous plants produce flowers with bright colours, patterns, and rewards like nectar, pollen, etc. for self-advertising. Many such plants only have pollen as a reward, so they deceive pollinators by appearing to offer more reward than is actually present. This is accomplished by hairy filaments, broad anther connectives, variously modified staminodes, etc. More than 20 angiosperm families have

Pollen dispersal is the step in higher plant mating systems over which the parent plant has the least control as it is dependent on the vagaries of weather conditions (anemophily) or animal behaviour (animal pollinator activity). While many families have passive release from the anther the Proteaceae has a diversity of pollen dispersal methods. Flowers from a range of species in the Proteaceae, covering

In order to evaluate the diversity, endemism, distribution and conservation of the genus Euphorbia in SW Asian countries, we generated an updated and annotated checklist of 249 taxa belonging to the current accepted four Euphorbia subgenera, 30 sections and five subsections, based on floristic compilations followed by extensive verification of nearly 24,000 herbarium vouchers from the region. We also

The wild sacred lotus Nelumbo nucifera is considered as an endangered aquatic plant in China and Russia. To date, the assessments and comparisons of the genetic diversity of wild populations of N. nucifera in Russia and China are very limited. Here, we sampled 15 wild populations of N. nucifera, including 208 individuals from these two key areas and genotyped using 13 microsatellite markers. Our results

Rewardless plants use various strategies to attract pollinators. Generalized food-deceptive species exploit the nonspecific food-seeking responses of their pollinators. Because past experiences are important for establishing the food-seeking behaviors of insects, previous flower visits by pollinators should play crucial roles in rewardless plants. In this study, we investigated previous experiences

The northern parts of Yunnan belong to ‘Mountains of SW China’ biodiversity hot spot, one of the most species-rich areas on earth. Although some progress, relatively little attention has been given to explore the evolutionary history of the fern diversity of this hot spot. According to recent progress, Yunnan exhibits the heterogeneity of species diversity among regions. In this study, we focused on

Cortinarius brunneocarpus var. microsporus is described and illustrated from coniferous forests of District Swat, Pakistan based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) region. It is morphologically well-supported by significantly smaller basidiospores which are moderately to strongly verrucose and with a suprahilar

Pulses of whole genome duplications occurred within numerous angiosperm lineages near and subsequent to the K-Pg boundary. These duplications frequently were followed by subtractions in chromosome number within a ploidal level, i,e., dysploidy. Single products of WGD may have generated more than one dysploid species. Such species in turn may have generated other dysploid species through additional

Seed and endocarp micromorphology and anatomy of 16 taxa from the genera Ardisia, Geissanthus, Stylogyne, Myrsine (Myrsinoideae), and Jacquinia (Theophrastoideae) were examined using stereo- and scanning electron microscopy and discussed in the light of the current phylogenetic framework. In all species, the ornamentation of the seed surface was reticulate, tuberculate, or tuberculate-colliculate with

The extraordinary biodiversity of tropical regions has attracted many researchers. Despite an increasing number of genome size (GS) estimations, those of tropic flora remain poorly explored. In this study, we applied the glycerol-preserved nuclei protocol for GS estimation in the field conditions of a tropical rainforest in Brunei Darussalam, northern Borneo. Samples were prepared in the field following

Small flowers with tubular calyces and connate stamens, a small number of whorls and organs per whorl are found in species of the tribe Cecropieae (Urticaceae). This study elucidates the processes that lead to such floral conditions by comparing the morphology of the developing flowers of Cecropia pachystachya, Coussapoa microcarpa and Pourouma cecropiifolia. Buds and flowers were examined under scanning

RNase T2s exist widely in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, playing various physiological roles in plants. At present, the genomes of Chinese white pear and six other Rosaceae fruit crops have been sequenced. However, no comprehensive analysis has investigated the evolutionary characteristics of the RNase T2 family in Rosaceae species. Here, 93 RNase T2s were identified in seven Rosaceae species (Pyrus bretschneideri

The high occurrence of dioecy on oceanic islands has attracted much attention from plant evolutionary biologists. Tournefortia argentea (Boraginaceae), an Indo-Pacific strand plant, has an unusual sexual system which remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the sexual system of T. argentea based on morphological and micromorphological studies, as well as manipulated pollination treatments.

Odontarrhena is a taxonomically difficult genus of the tribe Alysseae, including a number of critical species complexes in the Balkan Peninsula. One of these is O. baldaccii, which was previously included in the inconsistent taxon Alyssum fallacinum but recently shown to be distinct from it. In this paper, we analyzed the still uncertain taxonomic circumscription of O. baldaccii by a comparative analysis

Climate and geography oscillations in the Quaternary profoundly influenced the distribution pattern and genetic structure of plant species. Phylogeographic investigations have been numerously conducted in biodiversity hotspot regions. However, other regions have received less attention and these places may serve as potential glacial refugia for plant species. In the study presented here, phylogeographic

The identity of Drimia purpurascens, a name usually synonymised to the African D. elata, is clarified. Morphological data in the protologue allow identification of the former with the Mediterranean D. undata (Urginea undulata), which is usually treated as belonging to Charybdis, a genus morphologically and molecularly separated from both Drimia s.str. and Urginea. However, Charybdis is considered to

Leguminosae, Polygalaceae, Quillajaceae and Surianaceae together comprise the order Fabales. Phylogenetic relationships within Fabales remain an unsolved problem even though interfamilial relationships have been examined in a number of studies using different sampling approaches and both molecular and morphological data. In this study, we gather information from the nuclear 26S rDNA region as well

Leaf teeth, i.e. projections of the leaf margin, are common among angiosperms. These structures may differ in several aspects, e.g. in the presence or absence of an associated gland. Cucurbitoid teeth, which have an associated gland, have been reported to species of Datiscaceae, Begoniaceae and Cucurbitaceae, all from order Cucurbitales. However, no structural characterization has ever been made to

The high-biodiversity phenomenon of the Balkan Peninsula is a result of the past and present topographic, climatic and geological conditions, as well as human impact. The Dinaric Alps, as a part of the Balkan Peninsula, harbour a high number of endemic species, some of them comprising a small number of populations, which are often endangered. We investigated spatial distribution, community composition

Leptocereus is an Antillean genus of thin-stemmed cacti with 17 described species. We carried out a phylogenetic reconstruction with plastid DNA sequence data and a combined analysis with a set of 39 morphological characters using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference criteria to explore the monophyly of the genus. We further analyzed the evolution of eight morphological characters to interpret

Decreased fitness due to inbreeding in small populations can be a considerable disadvantage in sexually reproducing organisms compared to their asexual relatives. Therefore, inbreeding depression of sexuals could contribute to geographical parthenogenesis (GP) distribution patterns, when sexuals have more restricted distribution than their asexual relatives. In this study, we tested whether biparental

The genus Acer, commonly known as maple, is a large plant lineage that comprises many economically and ecologically important species. However, because of low interspecific morphological variations and scarcity of molecular data, it is challenging to estimate the enigmatic phylogeny of Acer, limiting further utilization and conservation of maples. In this study, we generated complete plastomes of 17

Correction to: Plant Systematics and Evolution

Effective conservation of biodiversity should build on a strong basis of taxonomic and spatial distribution knowledge. The Carpathian Mountains, an iconic centre of biodiversity in temperate Europe, harbour a remarkable number of endemic vascular plants. Current knowledge on their taxonomic status, spatial distribution and genetic diversity is, however, incomplete. Research and conservation efforts

The Western Carpathians are traditionally recognized as one of the hotspots of temperate European biodiversity. The polyploid and apomictic group of Cotoneaster integerrimus s.l. is supposed to be particularly variable there, and this is also mirrored by taxonomy. We therefore examined the ploidal and reproductive pattern of C. integerrimus s.l. and its close relative Cotoneaster tomentosus in the

Species delimitation must overcome the inconsistency among the different delimitation criteria to maintain species as reliable units for biological research and conservation. The general lineage species (GLS) concept embraces different methods of species delimitation and thus provides an integrative framework for taxonomy. The Hydrocotyle stella complex contains six morphotypes that occur along mountain

Staminal glands are an important character in the taxonomy of several Malpighiaceae genera, such as Banisteriopsis, Byrsonima, Diplopterys, Peixotoa and Stigmaphyllon, but only recently few studies started to elucidate the anatomy and ecological functions of these glands. Most genera showing staminal glands are placed in the Stigmaphylloid clade, one of the ten major lineages recovered in recent phylogenies

Astraea is a genus with 13 species, widely distributed throughout Neotropics and especially diverse in Brazil. The genus is currently placed in Crotoneae as sister to Acidocroton. This work aimed to characterize the pollen of Astraea as a contribution to the taxonomy and to understand the evolution of pollen traits between Astraea and Acidocroton. Pollen grains of 12 species of Astraea and three of

Molecular studies have shown that Liparis s.l. is polyphyletic, with the epiphytic Liparis alliance well separated from the clade representing Liparis in its restricted sense and further forming a phylogenetically heterogeneous assemblage. The generic status of Cestichis, as the key member of the epiphytic Liparis alliance, remains contentious, and the relationships between Cestichis, Stichorkis and

Thurniaceae are positioned at the base of the cyperids, in Poales, as a sister group of Cyperaceae + Juncaceae. However, Rapateaceae + Mayacaceae have emerged related to these families in a recent phylogenetic study. Although Thurniaceae are morphologically similar to Juncaceae, studies are needed to evaluate characters with systematic value and that may help comprehend the reproductive biology in

This study presents an analysis of plastomes to assess relationships among the seven genera of tribe Myoporeae (Scrophulariaceae). Sampling included individuals from type species for all seven genera included in Myoporeae (Bontia, Calamphoreus, Diocirea, Eremophila, Glycocystis, Myoporum, Pentacoelium), one additional species of the large genus Eremophila, one representative of the sister tribe Leucophylleae

The genus Passiflora shows a large variation in chromosome numbers (2n = 12, 14, 18, 20, 22, 24, 36, 72) and in the distribution of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sites. Most species of the subgenus Passiflora, however, have n = 9 and two pairs of 35S rDNA sites, such as species of economic importance Passiflora edulis and Passiflora alata. Species of another clade from the same subgenus, which includes Passiflora

The Balkan Peninsula is renowned as a refugium of forest species, which were more widespread in the Tertiary. We here investigated three species from one of the largest genera of flowering plants, Euphorbia, which survived the Pleistocene glaciations in the Balkan Peninsula, but responded differently to Holocene warming. Using ITS sequences, multivariate morphometrics and relative genome size (RGS)

The pantropical Caesalpinia group includes 225 species in 27 monophyletic genera, and the group has undergone recent phylogenetic, taxonomic and biogeographic revisions. Previous works have reported a diverse pattern of heterochromatin distribution related to ecological niche/geographic distribution, and variation in genome size also correlated with environmental variables. In order to investigate

The hornwort Anthoceros agrestis is emerging as a model system for the study of symbiotic interactions and carbon fixation processes. It is an annual species with a remarkably small and compact genome. Single accessions of the plant have been shown to be related to the cosmopolitan perennial hornwort Anthoceros punctatus. We provide the first detailed insight into the evolutionary history of the two

The western Balkans represents an area of significant topographic and environmental heterogeneity, harbouring high species and intraspecific diversity. Similar genetic and distributional splits observed in unrelated species have suggested some common features in their glacial response and biogeographic history. Here, we studied the western Balkan endemic Alyssum austrodalmaticum with the aim to explore

In plants, soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPA) play an indispensable role in inorganic pyrophosphate hydrolysis. However, the expression and the evolutionary history of PPA gene family remain unclear in pear and Rosaceae species. In this study, thirty-nine PPA genes were identified from five Rosaceae species including pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), apple (Malus domestica), peach (Prunus persica)

Cynoglossinae with ca. 200 spp. is one of the taxonomically most challenging subtribes of tribe Cynoglosseae with regard to generic delimitations. Here, we present a phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ITS and cpDNA trnL-F and rps16 sequences of 270 accessions including 102 newly sequenced ones, representing all currently recognized genera of Cynoglossinae to clarify relationships among Cynoglossum

Arnica montana (Asteraceae) is a herbaceous species with high interest for pharmaceutical industry due its anti-inflammatory properties. However, commercial collection in wild, habitat loss, abandonment of land, reforestation and the ongoing climate change threaten the conservation of the species throughout its natural distribution. Galicia (north-western Spain) is one of the main flower suppliers

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

Campanula fenestrellata subsp. fenestrellata and C. fenestrellata subsp. istriaca belong to the morphologically and phylogenetically well established amphi-Adriatic group Campanula ser. Garganicae. The two morphologically differentiated endemic taxa are distributed on the north-eastern Adriatic islands and coast. In order to study the relationships among C. fenestrellata s.l. populations and to gain

The Balkan Peninsula is one of the 250 centres for plant diversity identified in the World, and one of the major biodiversity hotspot plant areas in Europe. Balkan flora has been well studied at the morphological, phytogeographical and taxonomic levels, but a scarce attention had been paid to genome size. This work consists of two distinct parts. The first concerned the contribution for 2C values of

Astraea is a genus of tribe Crotoneae (Euphorbiaceae: Crotonoideae) widely distributed in the Neotropical region. Its highest diversity is found in eastern Brazil, and a few weedy species were most likely introduced and naturalized in the Paleotropics. Species of Astraea may be recognized by the usually deeply lobed leaves, lacking basilaminar or acropetiolar nectaries; spiciform inflorescence with

Salvia officinalis is a perennial species, native and endemic to the Western Balkans and the Apennine Peninsula. Due to its medicinal and aromatic properties, it is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. The main objectives of the study were to infer the genetic structure of S. officinalis populations in the northern and central parts of the eastern Adriatic coast, to detect the phylogeographical

Polyploidy and hybridization are key events in plant evolution. Due to these events, complexes of species can be formed. Dysploidy, a frequent chromosome change in holocentric organisms, may add some difficulties to species delimitation, especially in Cyperaceae. The Eleocharis montana complex is known for its members with overlapping morpho-anatomical features and unclear circumscription. To understand

Karyotype analyses in species of the family Marantaceae (550 species, 31 genera) were conducted to shed light on the reported strong variation of chromosome number and size and the occurrence of polyploidy. Special attention was paid to the alterations in basic chromosome numbers, karyotypes and ploidy levels. Taxon sampling covered the whole distribution area of Marantaceae in Africa, Asia and America

Fomitiporella has been phylogenetically studied in order to taxonomically treat it more naturally. In order to establish Fomitiporella s.s., studies on the holotype of F. umbrinella (the type species of Fomitiporella), and new specimens from the type locality, were carried out. Additionally, the holotype of Fuscoporella coruscans (the type species of Fuscoporella) was studied. A new morphological conceptual

We analyzed patterns of morphological differentiation of the Habenaria parviflora complex (Orchidaceae), through morphometric analyses of populations and morphotypes, aiming at evaluating current taxonomic proposals and at identifying discriminative characters for the delimitation of taxa. We performed multivariate and univariate morphometric analyses using 18 morphological characters of 675 individuals

Locally adapted ecotypes can constitute an important part of the biodiversity, especially in young floras with few endemic species. However, the origins, distinctness and conservation value of many ecotypes remain uncertain because genetic data are lacking or no common-garden study has been carried out. In the present study, we evaluated the distinctness and genetic structure of a phenotypically deviating

Polyploidy is one of the most important evolutionary processes in plants. In natural populations, polyploids usually emerge from unreduced gametes which either fuse with reduced ones, resulting in triploid offspring (triploid bridge), or with other unreduced gametes, resulting in tetraploid embryos. The frequencies of these two pathways, and male versus female gamete contributions, however, are largely

In this paper we document Fagaceae pollen from the Eocene of western Greenland. The pollen record suggests a remarkable diversity of the family in the early Cenozoic of Greenland. Extinct Fagaceae pollen types include Eotrigonobalanus, which extends at least back to the Paleocene, and two ancestral pollen types with affinities to the Eurasian Quercus Group Ilex and the western North American Quercus

This study includes 24 reports of chromosome counts in Tripleurospermum Sch. Bip. (20 taxa), Anthemis L. (1 species) and Matricaria L. (3 taxa) belonging to the tribe Anthemideae of the family Asteraceae from Turkey. Chromosome numbers of these taxa are 2n = 2x = 18, 3x = 27 and 4x = 36. Nine counts are new reports, one is not consistent with previous report, and the remainder confirm earlier information

Malagasy Dracaena (Ruscaceae) are divided into four species and 14 varieties, all of them showing a high level of morphological diversity and a putatively artefactual circumscription. In order to reveal relationships between those entangled entities, a span of Malagasy Dracaena were sampled and analyzed using cpDNA sequences and AFLP. The cpDNA analyses resolved three biogeographic clades that are