How important was polyploidy in the diversification of herbs in the Chaquean Domain? The case of Turnera sidoides autopolyploid complex (Passifloraceae, Turneroideae)

VIVIANA G. SOLÍS NEFFA; E.M. SARA MORENO; GISELLA C. SILVA; I. EVELIN KOVALSKY; GISELA M. VIA DO PICO; EMILIA N.A. ALMIRÓN; JUAN M. ROGGERO LUQUE; SILVIA A. FERNÁNDEZ; ESTEBAN N. PAREDES; LAURA M.I. CHALUP; GERMÁN A. ROBLEDO DOBLADEZ; J. GUILLERMO SEIJO

BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2021

0024-4074

The evolutionary processes that shape the unique biodiversity of the Neotropical ChaqueanDomain are still poorly understood. Choosing an appropriate model to address evolutionaryquestions is essential for understanding the current patterns of the Chaquean diversity. We usedTurnera sidoides autopolyploid complex as a model to assess current and past environmentalfactors and the processes that shaped and maintain its intraspecific variation in the ChaqueanDomain. Based on current and past niche modelling, cytogeographic and genetic divergenceanalyses we provided strong evidence that T. sidoides complex is in an active process ofintraspecific allopatric diversification at diploid level since the early Pleistocene. Furtherdiversification of the complex involved the emergence of independent polyploid series in eachmorphologically divergent lineage. Cytotypes within each series do not differ in diagnosticmorphological traits, but are reproductively isolated and have different ecological requirements.Currently, each subspecies / morphotype and cytotype are true species according to thebiological, evolutionary or ecological concepts; however, they are still considered to be the samemorphological species. Turnera sidoides revealed the complex processes of diversificationoccurring at the Chaquean Domain and the large amount of diversity that is overlooked when themorphological species concept is only considered to estimate the diversity of the Neotropicalecoregions.