Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The polyploid Alyssum montanum-A. repens complex in the Balkans: a hotspot of species and genetic diversity

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Balkan Peninsula is an important diversity and speciation centre for many species groups. The high genetic, karyological and morphological complexity of the Alyssum montanum-A. repens species group (Brassicaceae) in the Balkans makes it a challenging study subject for exploring different speciation mechanisms and their taxonomic consequences. In the present study, ploidy level and genetic (AFLPs and chloroplast DNA sequences) data were examined and confronted with recent taxonomic concepts. Remarkable genetic and morphological variation, which is often geographically structured, and high incidence of polyploids suggest a very complex evolutionary history in this area, involving allopatric differentiation and past hybridisation and polyploidisation events. A new taxonomic treatment, differing substantially from recent concepts, is suggested. Several previously recognised taxa, including many endemics, such as A. austrodalmaticum, A. handelii, A. moellendorfianum, A. pirinicum and A. wierzbickii, are confirmed as distinct. Several other taxa are suggested to be resurrected or elevated to the species level, namely, A. bosniacum, A. montenegrinum, A. reiseri and A. vernale. Phylogenetic relationships among populations from the central Balkans and Greece are still partly blurred apparently due to more extensive reticulations, and their taxonomic classifications remain provisional. They are treated here under the tentative name A. spruneri. The patterns of variation revealed in the present study highlight the importance of the Balkan Peninsula for the persistence and diversification of vascular plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ančev M (2007) Catalogue of the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) in the flora of Bulgaria. Phytol Balcan 13:153–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Anchev ME (1991) Rod Alyssum L. v bulgarskata flora. In: Kozhukharov SI, Kuzmanov BA (eds) Evolyutsiya na tsvetnite rasteniya i florogenezis. 2. Slozhnotsvetni, krustotsvetni, zhitni rasteniya i ostritsovi. Izdatelstvo na Bulgarskata akademia na naukite, Sofiya, pp 85–117

  • Arrigo N, de La Harpe M, Litsios G, Zozomová-Lihová J, Španiel S, Marhold K, Barker MS, Alvarez N (2016) Is hybridization driving the evolution of climatic niche in Alyssum montanum? Amer J Bot 103:1348–1357. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball PW, Dudley TR (1993) Alyssum L. In: Tutin TG, Burges NA, Chater AO, Edmondson JR, Heywood VH, Moore DM, Valentine DH, Walters SM, Webb DA (eds) Flora europaea 1, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 359–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonin A, Bellemain E, Eidesen PB, Pompanon F, Brochmann C, Taberlet P (2004) How to track and assess genotyping errors in population genetic studies. Molec Ecol 13:3261–3273. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2004.02346.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caković D, Stešević D, Schönswetter P, Frajman B (2015) How many taxa? Spatiotemporal evolution and taxonomy of Amphoricarpos (Asteraceae, Carduoideae) on the Balkan Peninsula. Organisms Diversity Evol 15:429–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0218-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clement M, Posada D, Crandall KA (2000) TCS: a computer program to estimate gene genealogies. Molec Ecol 9:1657–1660. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.01020.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Contandriopoulos J (1970) Contribution à l’étude cytotaxinomique des Alysseae Adams de Grèce. Ber Schweiz Bot Ges 79:313–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Corander J, Marttinen P, Mäntyniemi S (2006) Bayesian identification of stock mixtures from molecular marker data. Fish Bull 104:550–558. http://fishbull.noaa.gov/1044/corander.pdf

  • Correggiari A, Roveri M, Trincardi F (1996) Late Pleistocene and Holocene evolution of the North Adriatic Sea. Il Quaternario 9:697–704

    Google Scholar 

  • Darriba D, Taboada GL, Doallo R, Posada D (2012) jModelTest 2: more models, new heuristics and parallel computing. Nature Meth 9:772. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diklić N (1972) 24. Rod Alyssum L. In: Josifović M, Stjepanović L, Janković MM, Gajić M, Kojić M, Diklić N (eds) Flora SR Srbije 3. Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, Beograd, pp 286–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Druškovič B, Lovka M (1995) [Reports] In: Stace CA (ed) IOPB Chromosome data 9. Int Org Pl Biosyst Newslett 24:15–19

  • Earl DA, von Holdt BM (2012) STRUCTURE HARVESTER: a website and program for visualizing STRUCTURE output and implementing the Evanno method. Conservation Genet Resources 4:359–361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9548-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrich D (2006) AFLPdat: a collection of R functions for convenient handling of AFLP data. Molec Ecol Notes 6:603–604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01380.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evanno G, Regnaut S, Goudet J (2005) Detecting the number of clusters of individuals using the software STRUCTURE: a simulation study. Molec Ecol 14:2611–2620. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02553.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Falush D, Stephens M, Pritchard JK (2007) Inference of population structure using multilocus geno type data: dominant markers and null alleles. Molec Ecol Notes 7:574–578. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01758.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez A, Lunt DH (2007) Refugia within refugia: patterns of phylogeographic concordance in the Iberian Peninsula. In: Weiss S, Ferrand N (eds) Phylogeography of Southern European refugia. Springer, Berlin, pp 155–188

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • György Z, Vouillamoz JF, Höhn M (2016) Microsatellite markers reveal common East Alpine-Carpathian gene pool for the arctic–alpine Rhodiola rosea, (Crassulaceae). Pl Syst Evol 302:721–730. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.289.5483.1343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartvig P (1986) Alyssum L. In: Strid A (ed) Mountain flora of Greece 1. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 281–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartvig P (2002) Alyssum L. In: Strid A, Tan K (eds) Flora Hellenica 2. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag K. G, Ruggell, pp 199–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt GM (2011) Mediterranean peninsulas: the evolution of hotspots. In: Zachos FE, Habel JC (eds) Biodiversity hotspots. Springer, Berlin, pp 123–147

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Il’ins’ka AP (1975) Khromosomni chysla deyakykh ukrayins’kykh vydiv rodu Alyssum L. Ukrayins’k Bot Zhurn 32:371–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Il’ins’ka AP (1986) Tsytotaksonomichnyi analiz predstavnykiv sektsii Alyssum, Psilonema (C. A. Meyer) Hook. in Benth. et Hook. ta Meniocus (Desv.) Hook. rodu Alyssum L. flory Ukrainy. Ukrayins’k Bot Zhurn 43:26–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsson M, Rosenberg NA (2007) CLUMPP: a cluster matching and permutation program for dealing with label switching and multimodality in analysis of population structure. Bioinformatics 23:1801–1806. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btm233

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jalas J, Suominen J, Lampinen R (1996) Atlas florae europaeae 11. The Committee for Mapping the Flora of Europe and Societas Biologica Fennica Vanamo, Helsinki

  • Janković I, Šatović Z, Liber Z, Kuzmanović N, Radosavljević I, Lakušić D (2016) Genetic diversity and morphological variability in the Balkan endemic Campanula secundiflora s.l. (Campanulaceae). Bot J Linn Soc 180:64–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katoh K, Misawa K, K-i Kuma, Miyata T (2002) MAFFT: a novel method for rapid multiple sequence alignment based on fast Fourier transform. Nucl Acids Res 30:3059–3066. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkf436

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kieft B, van Loon JCHr (1978) [Reports]. In: Löve Á (ed) IOPB Chromosome number reports LXII. Taxon 27:524–525. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1219912

  • Kryštufek B, Reed JM (2004) Pattern and processes in Balkan biodiversity—an overview. In: Griffits HI, Kryštufek B, Reed JM (eds) Balkan biodiversity, pattern and process in the European hotspot. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 203–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Kryštufek B, Bužan EV, Hutchinson WF, Hänfling B (2007) Phylogeography of the rare Balkan endemic Martino’s vole, Dinaromys bogdanovi, reveals strong differentiation within the western Balkan Peninsula. Molec Ecol 16:1221–1232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03235.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kučera J, Marhold K, Lihová J (2010) Cardamine maritima group (Brassicaceae) in the amphi-Adriatic area: a hotspot of species diversity revealed by DNA sequences and morphological variation. Taxon 59:148–164. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27757059

  • Kutnjak D, Schönswetter P, Dullinger S, Kuttner M, Niketić M, Frajman B (2014) Escaping to the summits: phylogeography and predicted range dynamics of Cerastium dinaricum, an endangered high mountain plant endemic to the western Balkan Peninsula. Molec Phylogen Evol 78:365–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.05.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzmanović N, Comanescu P, Frajman B, Lazarević M, Paun O, Schönswetter P, Lakušić D (2013) Genetic, cytological and morphological differentiation within the Balkan-Carpathian Sesleria rigida sensu Fl. Eur. (Poaceae): a taxonomically intricate tetraploid-octoploid complex. Taxon 62:458–472. https://doi.org/10.12705/623.13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laibach F (1907) Zur Frage nach der Individualität der Chromosomen im Pflanzenreich. Beih Bot Centralbl Abt 1 22(2):191–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakušić D, Liber Z, Nikolić T, Surina B, Kovačić S, Bogdanović S, Stefanović S (2013) Molecular phylogeny of the Campanula pyramidalis species complex (Campanulaceae) inferred from chloroplast and nuclear non-coding sequences and its taxonomic implications. Taxon 62:505–524. https://doi.org/10.12705/623.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovka M, Sušnik F, Löve Á, Löve D (1971) [Reports]. In: Löve Á (ed) IOPB Chromosome number reports XXXIV. Taxon 20:788–791. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1218605

  • Magauer M, Schönswetter P, Jang T-S, Frajman B (2014) Disentangling relationships within the disjunctly distributed Alyssum ovirense/A. wulfenianum group (Brassicaceae), including description of a novel species from the north-eastern Alps. Bot J Linn Soc 176:486–505. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manton I (1932) Introduction to the general cytology of the Cruciferae. Ann Bot (Oxford) 46:509–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markgraf F (1960) Alyssum L. In: Hegi G (ed) Illustrierte Flora von Mitteleuropa 4/1 (4. Lieferung). Carl Hanser, München, pp 277–290

  • Médail F, Diadema K (2009) Glacial refugia infl uence plant diversity patterns in the Mediterranean Basin. J Biogeogr 36:1333–1345. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.02051.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melichárková A, Španiel S, Brišková D, Marhold K, Zozomová-Lihová J (2017) Unravelling allopolyploid origins in the Alyssum montanum-A. repens (Brassicaceae) species complex: low-copy nuclear gene data complement cpDNA sequences and AFLPs. Bot J Linn Soc 184:485–502. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/box039

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mereďa P, Hodálová I, Kučera J, Zozomová-Lihová J, Letz DR, Slovák M (2011) Genetic and morphological variation in Viola suavis s.l. (Violaceae) in the western Balkan Peninsula: two endemic subspecies revealed. Syst Biodivers 9:211–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2011.603903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mráz P, Gaudeul M, Rioux D, Gielly L, Choler P, Taberlet P, Intrabiodiv Consortium (2007) Genetic structure of Hypochaeris uniflora (Asteraceae) suggests vicariance in the Carpathians and rapid post-glacial colonization of the Alps from an eastern Alpine refugium. J Biogeogr 34:2100–2114. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01765.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nève G, Verlaque R (2010) Genetic differentiation between and among refugia. In: Habel JC, Assmann T (eds) Relict species-phylogeography and conservation biology. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 277–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieto Feliner G (2014) Patterns and processes in plant phylogeography in the Mediterranean Basin: a review. Perspect Pl Ecol Evol Syst 16:265–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2014.07.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nyárády EI (1955) Cruciferae. In: Săvulescu T (ed) Flora Republicii Populare Romîne 3. Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, Bucharest, pp 102–501

    Google Scholar 

  • Oprea A (2005) Lista critică a plantelor vasculare din România, Edit. Univ. “Al. I. Cuza”, Iaşi

  • Paun O, Schönswetter P, Winkler M, Intrabiodiv Consortium, Tribsch A (2008) Historical divergence vs. contemporary gene flow: evolutionary history of the calcicole Ranunculus alpestris group (Ranunculaceae) in the European Alps and the Carpathians. Molec Ecol 17:4263–4275. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03908.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Plazibat M (2009) A short synopsis of the tribe Alysseae (Brassicaceae) in Croatia with some taxonomic novelties. Nat Croat 18:401–426

    Google Scholar 

  • Podnar M, Mayer W, Tvrtković N (2004) Mitochondrial phylogeography of the Dalmatian wall lizard, Podarcis melisellensis (Lacertidae). Organisms Diversity Evol 4:307–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ode.2004.04.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pritchard JK, Stephens M, Donnely PJ (2000) Inference of population structure using multilocus genotype data. Genetics 155:945–959

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Reed JM, Kryštufek B, Eastwood WJ (2004) The physical geography of the Balkans and nomenclature of place names. In: Griffiths HI, Krystufek B, Reed JM (eds) Balkan Biodiversity. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 9–22

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rešetnik I, Frajman B, Bogdanović S, Ehrendorfer F, Schönswetter P (2014) Disentangling relationships among the diploid members of the intricate genus Knautia (Caprifoliaceae, Dipsacoideae). Molec Phylogen Evol 74:97–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.01.028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rešetnik I, Frajman B, Schönswetter P (2016) Heteroploid Knautia drymeia includes K. gussonei and cannot be separated into diagnosable subspecies. Amer J Bot 103:1300–1313. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rojas-Andrés BM, Albach DC, Martínez-Ortega MM (2015) Exploring the intricate evolutionary history of the diploid–polyploid complex Veronica subsection Pentasepalae (Plantaginaceae). Bot J Linn Soc 179:670–692. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ronikier M (2011) Biogeography of high-mountain plants in the Carpathians: an emerging phylogeographical perspective. Taxon 60:372–389. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41317136

  • Ronikier M, Szeląg Z (2008) Differentiation among disjunct populations of agamospermous species of Hieracium section Cernua (Asteraceae) in Central European subalpine habitats. Bot J Linn Soc 158:93–105. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2008.00879.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ronikier M, Zalewska-Gałosz J (2014) Independent evolutionary history between the Balkan ranges and more northerly mountains in Campanula alpina s.l. (Campanulaceae): genetic divergence and morphological segregation of taxa. Taxon 63:116–131. https://doi.org/10.12705/631.4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg NA (2004) Distruct: a program for the graphical display of population structure. Molec Ecol Notes 4:137–138. https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-3-431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruprecht FJ (1869) Flora Caucasi 1. Mém Acad Imp Sci Saint-Pétersbourg Sér 15(2):1–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanz M, Schönswetter P, Vallès J, Schneeweiss GM, Vilatersana R (2014) Southern isolation and northern long-distance dispersal shaped the phylogeography of the widespread, but highly disjunct, European high mountain plant Artemisia eriantha (Asteraceae). Bot J Linn Soc 174:214–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüter PM, Harris SA (2006) Analysis of multilocus fingerprinting data sets containing missing data. Molec Ecol Notes 6:569–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01225.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrimpf A, Theissinger K, Dahlem J, Maguire I, Pârvulescu L, Schulz HK, Schulz R (2014) Phylogeography of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) reveals multiple refugia. Freshwater Biol 59:761–776. https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.12302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw J, Lickey EB, Beck JT, Farmer SB, Liu W, Miller J, Siripun KC, Winder CT, Schilling EE, Small RL (2005) The tortoise and the hare II: relative utility of 21 noncoding chloroplast DNA sequences for phylogenetic analysis. Amer J Bot 92:142–166. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.92.1.142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw J, Lickey EB, Schilling EE, Small RL (2007) Comparison of whole chloroplast genome sequences to choose noncoding regions for phylogenetic studies in angiosperms: the tortoise and the hare III. Amer J Bot 94:275–288. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.94.3.275

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons MP, Ochoterena H (2000) Gaps as characters in sequence-based phylogenetic analyses. Syst Biol 49:369–381. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/49.2.369

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos K, Eleftherakos K, Džukić G, Kalezić ML, Legakis A, Polymeni RM (2007) Phylogeny and biogeography of the alpine newt Mesotriton alpestris (Salamandridae, Caudata), inferred from mtDNA sequences. Molec Phylogen Evol 45:211–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2007.03.012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Marhold K, Filová B, Zozomová-Lihová J (2011a) Genetic and morphological variation in the diploid-polyploid Alyssum montanum in Central Europe: taxonomic and evolutionary considerations. Pl Syst Evol 294:1–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0438-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Marhold K, Passalacqua NG, Zozomová-Lihová J (2011b) Intricate variation patterns in the diploid-polyploid complex of Alyssum montanum-A. repens (Brassicaceae) in the Apennine peninsula: evidence for long-term persistence and diversification. Amer J Bot 98:1887–1904. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1100147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Marhold K, Thiv M, Zozomová-Lihová J (2012a) A new circumscription of Alyssum montanum ssp. montanum and A. montanum ssp. gmelinii (Brassicaceae) in Central Europe: molecular and morphological evidence. Bot J Linn Soc 169:378–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2012.01225.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Zozomová-Lihová J, Passalacqua NG, Marhold K (2012b) Infraspecific classification of Alyssum diffusum (Brassicaceae) in Italy. Willdenowia 42:37–56. https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.42.42104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Kempa M, Salmerón-Sánchez E, Fuertes-Aguilar J, Mota JF, Al-Shehbaz IA, German DA, Olšavská K, Šingliarová B, Zozomová-Lihová J, Marhold K (2015) AlyBase: database of names, chromosome numbers, and ploidy levels of Alysseae (Brassicaceae), with a new generic concept of the tribe. Pl Syst Evol 301:2463–2491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-015-1257-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Španiel S, Zozomová-Lihová J, Marhold K (2017) Revised taxonomic treatment of the Alyssum montanum-A. repens complex in the Balkans: a multivariate morphometric analysis. Pl Syst Evol. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1468-x

  • Stevanović V, Kit T, Petrova A (2007) Mapping the endemic flora of the Balkans—a progress report. Bocconea 21:131–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Stojanov N (1970) Alyssum L. In: Jordanov D (ed) Flora na narodna republika Bulgarija, vol. 4. Izdatelstvo na Bulgarskata Akademija na Naukite, Sofija, pp 419–512

    Google Scholar 

  • Strid A, Andersson IA (1985) Chromosome numbers of Greek mountain plants. An annotated list of 115 species. Bot Jahrb Syst 107:203–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Surina B, Schönswetter P, Schneeweiss GM (2011) Quarternary range dynamics of ecologically divergent species (Edraianthus serpyllifolius and E. tenuifolius, Campanulaceae) within the Balkan refugium. J Biogeogr 38:1381–1393. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Surina B, Schneeweiss GM, Glasnović P, Schönswetter P (2014) Testing the efficiency of nested barriers to dispersal in the Mediterranean high mountain plant Edraianthus graminifolius (Campanulaceae). Molec Ecol 23:2861–2875. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12779

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thiel-Egenter C, Holderegger R, Brodbeck S, Intrabiodiv Consortium, Gugerli F (2009) Concordant genetic breaks, identified by combining clustering and tesselation methods, in two co-distributed alpine plant species. Molec Ecol 18:4495–4507. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04360.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JD (2005) Plant evolution in the Mediterranean. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Trpin D (1984) Alyssum montanum-kompleks v jugovzhodni Jugoslaviji. Razpr Slov Akad Znan Umetn Razr Nar Vede 25:239–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Turrill WB (1929) The plant life of the Balkan peninsula: a phytogeographical study. Clarendon, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Tzedakis PC (2004) The Balkans as prime glacial refugial territory of European temperate trees. In: Griffiths HI, Krystufek B, Reed JM (eds) Balkan Biodiversity. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 49–68

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • van Loon JCh, Kieft B (1980) [Reports]. In: Löve Á (ed) IOPB chromosome number reports LXVIII. Taxon 29:538–542

  • Vos P, Hogers R, Bleeker R, Reijans M, van de Lee T, Hornes M, Frijters A, Pot J, Peleman J, Kuiper M, Zabeau M (1995) AFLP: a new technique for DNA fingerprinting. Nucl Acids Res 23:4407–4414

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zozomová-Lihová J, Marhold K, Španiel S (2014) Taxonomy and evolutionary history of Alyssum montanum (Brassicaceae) and related taxa in southwestern Europe and Morocco: diversification driven by polyploidy, geographic and ecological isolation. Taxon 63:562–591. https://doi.org/10.12705/633.18

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the colleagues who accompanied us in the field. We would like to thank the Directorate of Pirin National Park (Bansko) for permission to collect samples of Alyssum and D. Lakušić (Belgrade) for advice on the localities of Alyssum montanum s.l. in Serbia. We also thank the curators of the herbaria in Budapest (BP) and Vienna (W, WU) for allowing us to access their collections. This study was financially supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV, Grant no. APVV-0139-12 to J.Z.-L. and K.M.), Grant Agency VEGA, Bratislava, Slovak Republic (grant nr. 2/0133/17 to S.Š.), the Czech Science Foundation (Grant no. 16-10809S to K.M.), the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic (CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0022 to S.Š.). Part of the field expenses in Bulgaria and Romania were covered by the cooperation schemes between the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Romanian Academy of Sciences and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 23, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Stanislav Španiel, Karol Marhold & Judita Zozomová-Lihová

  2. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01, Prague, Czech Republic

    Stanislav Španiel & Karol Marhold

Authors
  1. Stanislav Španiel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karol Marhold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Judita Zozomová-Lihová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stanislav Španiel.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Handling editor: Martin Lysak.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (PDF 434 kb)

Electronic supplementary material

Electronic supplementary material

Online Resource 1. Detailed list of the studied population samples of the Alyssum montanum-A. repens complex.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Španiel, S., Marhold, K. & Zozomová-Lihová, J. The polyploid Alyssum montanum-A. repens complex in the Balkans: a hotspot of species and genetic diversity. Plant Syst Evol 303, 1443–1465 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1470-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1470-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation