RT Journal Article
T1 Molecular systematics of Valerianella Mill. (Caprifoliaceae): Challenging the taxonomic value of genetically controlled carpological traits.
A1 Arnelas Seco, Itziar
A1 Pérez Collazos, Ernesto
A1 López Martínez, Josefa
A1 Devesa, Juan Antonio
A1 Catalán Alonso, Pilar
AB Valerianella (cornsalad) is a taxonomically complex genus formed by 50–65 annual Holarctic species classified into at least four main sections. Carpological traits (sizes and shapes of achenes and calyx teeth) have been used to characterize its sections and species. However, the potential systematic value of these traits at different taxonomic ranks (from sections to species (and infraspecific taxa)) has not been tested phylogenetically yet. Here, we have assessed the evolutionary systematic value of Valerianella diagnostic carpological traits at different hierarchical ranks and have demonstrated their ability to separate taxa at the sectional level but not at species level for species of several species pairs. A total of 426 individuals (17 species, 4 sections) of Valerianella were analyzed using AFLP and plastid data. Genetic clusters, phylogenetic trees, and haplotype networks support the taxonomic classification of Valerianella at the four studied sectional levels (V. sects. Valerianella, Cornigerae, Coronatae, Platycoelae) but show admixture for ten taxa from five species pairs (V. locusta—V. carinata, V. coronata—V. pumila, V. multidentata—V. discoidea, V. dentata—V. rimosa, V. eriocarpa—V. microcarpa), which are not reciprocally monophyletic. Dating analyses indicate that the Valerianella sections are relatively old (mid-Miocene), while most species diverged in the Pliocene–Pleistocene. A new section Valerianella sect. Stipitae is described to accommodate the highly divergent and taxonomically distinct V. fusiformis type species. Taxonomic treatments that recognize the sectional ranks and that subsume the separate species of each species pair into single species represent a natural classification for Valerianella.
PB MDPI
SN 2223-7747
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/95242
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/95242
LA eng
NO Arnelas, I., E. Pérez-Collazos, J. López-Martínez, J.A. Devesa & P. Catalán. 2022.  Molecular Systematics of Valerianella Mill. (Caprifoliaceae): Challenging the Taxonomic Value of Genetically Controlled Carpological Traits. Plants-Basel 11: 1276
NO This work has been supported by a Spanish Government grant project CGL005-25122-E to J. A. Devesa, a co-funded Spanish Aragón Government and European Social Fund grant to the University of Zaragoza BIOFLORA research group, and a BBVA Foundation post-doctorate fellowship to E. Pérez-Collazos.
NO Gobierno de Aragón
NO Comisión Europea
NO Fundación BBVA
NO Universidad de Zaragoza
DS Docta Complutense
RD 6 abr 2025