Abstract Detail

Systematics

Bilsborrow, Jordan [1], Culham, Alastair [1], Dizkirici, Ayten [2], Könyves, Kálmán [3], Garnett, George J. [1], David, John [3].

A molecular study of the genus Muscari Mill. s.lat. (Asparagaceae, Hyacinthinae).

Muscari s.lat. is broadly distributed through the Mediterranean and South West Asia, with a centre of diversity in Turkey. It is sister to Bellevalia Lapeyr. from which it is distinguished by the stamen filaments being in two rows (one row in Muscari). Both have connate perianth segments which form, to a greater or lesser extent, a perianth tube. The number of described species in the genus has increased rapidly over the last 5-10 years arising from more detailed surveys of the flora of Turkey, and many of the new species are endemic to Turkey with limited distribution. Muscari was treated as a single genus in Flora of Turkey vol. 8, by Stuart, with three subgenera, but Gabari & Greuter had previously treated Muscari s.lat. as four distinct genera: Muscari s.str., Leopoldia Parl., Muscarimia Kostel. ex Los., and Pseudomuscari Gabari & Greuter currently used by Plants of the World Online. Leopoldia and Muscarimia have been reasonably clear in their circumscription but the attribution of species to Muscari s.str. and Pseudomuscari has been difficult. The essential characteristic of the latter seems to be the campanulate flower which is not or only slightly constricted at the mouth.The current study draws on material from Turkey and in cultivation in the UK to extend the coverage of the genus. The aim was to test whether the subgenera (or genera) were supported, using more samples from within the Hyacinthinae to resolve the tree. Whole plastome sequence data were used to investigate the monophyly of the four genera currently recognised. Data were gathered by genome skimming DNA extractions using Illumina HiSeq 150 bp PE sequencing. Comparison of whole plastome sequences of 52 samples of Muscari and related genera including 40 Muscari s.lat. species generated a well supported phylogeny that indicates the three of the four genera as currently circumscribed are not monophyletic as each has outliers belonging to other clades. The results support the conclusions of Dizkirici et al. (2019) in showing that the two species in Muscarimia form a distinct clade, as do the core species of Pseudomuscari. The remainder of Pseudomuscari cluster with species in Muscari s.str together with Leopoldia which is not monophyletic. Our phylogeny is best used to support the recognition of a broadly circumscribed Muscari that could be split into subgenera although some of these are difficult to define using morphological characters.

Related Links:
Research group web page

1 - University of Reading, Biological Sciences, University of Reading Herbarium, Harborne Building, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AS, UK
2 - Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 65080 Van, Van, Turkey
3 - Royal Horticultural Society, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, GU23 6QB, UK

Keywords:
Muscari
Plastomics
nrITS
geophytes
Mediterranean flora
Generic circumscription.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Systematics Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2020
Time: 5:00 PM Time and date to be determined
Number: PSY011
Abstract ID:373
Candidate for Awards:None