Strong conservatism of floral morphology during the rapid diversification of the genus Helianthemum

Abstract Divergence of floral morphology and breeding systems are often expected to be linked to angiosperm diversification and environmental niche divergence. However, available evidence for such relationships is not generalizable due to different taxonomic, geographical and time scales. The Palear...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Martín‐Hernanz, Sara, Albaladejo, Rafael, Lavergne, Sébastien, Rubio, Encarnación, Marín‐Rodulfo, Macarena, Arroyo, Juan, Aparicio, Abelardo
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/97411
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/97411
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Breeding system
Cistaceae
Evolutionary radiation
Floral morphology
Floral trait
Helianthemum
Mediterranean Basin
Trait conservatism
Trait evolution
Ciencias
2417 Biología Vegetal (Botánica)
Descripción
Sumario:Abstract Divergence of floral morphology and breeding systems are often expected to be linked to angiosperm diversification and environmental niche divergence. However, available evidence for such relationships is not generalizable due to different taxonomic, geographical and time scales. The Palearctic genus Helianthemum shows the highest diversity of the family Cistaceae in terms of breeding systems, floral traits, and environmental conditions as a result of three recent evolutionary radiations since the Late Miocene. Here, we investigated the tempo and mode of evolution of floral morphology in the genus and its link with species diversification and environmental niche divergence. Methods We quantified 18 floral traits from 83 taxa and applied phylogenetic comparative methods using a robust phylogenetic framework based on genotyping‐by‐sequencing data. Results We found three different floral morphologies, putatively related to three different breeding systems: type I, characterized by small flowers without herkogamy and low pollen to ovule ratio; type II, represented by large flowers with approach herkogamy and intermediate pollen to ovule ratio; and type III, featured by small flowers with reverse herkogamy and the highest pollen to ovule ratio. Each morphology has been highly conserved across each radiation and has evolved independently of species diversification and ecological niche divergence. Conclusions The combined results of trait, niche, and species diversification ultimately recovered a pattern of potentially non‐adaptive radiations in Helianthemum and highlight the idea that evolutionary radiations can be decoupled from floral morphology evolution even in lineages that diversified in heterogeneous environments as the Mediterranean Basin.