Borsch T., Korotkova N., Raus T., Lobin W. & Löhne C.: The petD group II intron as a species level marker: utility for tree inference and species identification in the diverse genus Campanula (Campanulaceae). — Willdenowia 39: 7–33. — Online ISSN 1868-6397; © 2009 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. doi:10.3372/wi.39.39101 (available via  http://dx.doi.org/)

Chloroplast introns have a high potential as tools for phylogeny inference and DNA barcoding. This study examines the molecular evolution of the petD group II intron in Campanulaceae based on a sequence data set of 114 ingroup taxa. Three small mutational hotspots had to be excluded from phylogenetic analysis, the two most variable being located in the D4 loop (domain IV). A (GT)_4–7 microsatellite in domain II is conserved at species level but of limited phylogenetic use due to unclear homology of individual repeat units. Sequences of the petD group II intron depict Cyphioideae, Lobelioideae and Campanuloideae as major Campanulaceae clades. Core Campanuloideae comprise two major radiations of Campanula species: a Musschia clade (including C. lactiflora) and a Jasione clade. Campanula is highly paraphyletic to a number of smaller genera such as Azorina, Michauxia and Edraianthus. The closed-tubular flowered taxa (Phyteuma and allies) are resolved sister to C. persicifolia. Within core campanuloids petD sequences identify 90 % of the taxon samples included in this study. Considering the ease of amplification and sequencing, and its high information content, the petD intron appears to be a good candidate in a two-tailed approach integrating molecular phylogenetics and species identification in the needed sampling of all core Campanuloideae species.

In order to assess the possible role of interspecific hybridization for the evolution of the high diversity of Cousinia subg. Cousinia (Cousinia s.str., c. 600 species), we examined the frequency of hybridization in this taxon. For this, hypothetical hybrid combinations published in the literature (28 putative hybrids and 11 intermediate forms) were critically examined. In addition, two hybrids were identified in the present study by their morphological intermediacy, geographical distribution, additivity of ITS sequences and reduced pollen fertility, and were included in our analysis. To examine the relationships among the presumably hybridizing species, a Bayesian analysis of nuclear-ribosomal ITS of 214 species of Cousinia and related genera was performed, being the largest ITS phylogeny of Cousinia s.str. published to date, with 78 species having been included for the first time. As a result, neither hybridization between Cousinia s.str. and other main clades of the ‘Arctium-Cousinia complex’, nor between annual and perennial species of Cousinia s.str. is revealed by our analysis. Otherwise, our results clearly show that hybridization in Cousinia occurs between species of the same clade and of different clades. An extrapolation of the results indicates that somewhat more than 10 % of the species of Cousinia s.str. may be involved in interspecific hybridization. This figure together with the complete absence of polyploids in Cousinia s.str. leads to the conclusion that the role of interspecific hybridization for the evolution and diversity of the group is likely to have been minor.

New combinations are proposed for species of Anagallis, Pelletiera and Trientalis in accordance with the results of phylogenetic analyses of the Lysimachia complex, based on molecular and morphological data. These three genera as well as Glaux and Asterolinon, for the species of which names in Lysimachia are already available, have been found to be derived, specialized groups that have evolved within Lysimachia. The present classification therefore does not reflect our current understanding of evolutionary relationships within the Lysimachia complex. Merging all the genera in Lysimachia is here considered better than splitting the latter into several smaller genera. For Anagallis crassifolia and A. filifolia new names are validated and for A. alternifolia and A. pumila the names change since their epithets have already been used in Lysimachia. Lectotypes are selected for A. filifolia, A. filiformis, A. kingaënsis, A. monelli, A. schliebenii, A. serpens and Pelletiera verna, and a neotype is designated for A. foemina.

Based on recent findings of phylogenetic studies using character sets from all three genomic compartments and from morphology, Ondinea purpurea is transferred to Nymphaea and the new name N. ondinea is validly published. This change in classification implements the criterion that higher taxa should be monophyletic. Although, compared to other species of Nymphaea, the Australian N. ondinea appears to be phenotypically very different, most shifts in character states that led to its evolution (e.g., loss of perianth in some of the populations, decrease in stamen and carpel number) are rather quantitative. Several characters not only support a position of Ondinea within Nymphaea (such as an eusyncarpous gynoeceum with carpels less than 50 % fused), but also allow its unambiguous identification as a species of Nymphaea.

A new species from the Collinae group is described from northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. It is allied to Potentilla lindackeri but reminds of P. rhenana in the shape of its leaflets and their dentation.

The name Aquilegia vulgaris var. speluncarum, for a little known rupicolous columbine described by Lacaita from the southern Apennines in 1911, is lectotypified and the taxon identified with A. champagnatii, a species described from Picentini massif in 1981. The relationship of the taxon and its diagnostic characters are briefly discussed. It is concluded that it is actually conspecific with A. ottonis and best recognized as a separate subspecies, for which the name A. ottonis subsp. speluncarum is validated.

Polygala rausiana is described as a new species from the western Korinthia and eastern Achaia prefectures (nomoi) in the central northern Peloponnese. It is related to P. pruinosa and the recently described P. peshmenii, both Turkish taxa differing conspicuously by their indumentum type and carpological characters. The distinguishing characters are illustrated by SEM micrographs. P. rausiana occurs in an area with a remarkable number of rare endemic or otherwise notable species.

The population of a wild artichoke discovered in 1997 in the western part of Cyprus proved to be a new species, Cynara makrisii. Morphologically it is similar to C. cyrenaica, known to occur in Libya and Crete.

Cousinia elata has been known from only two collections, and its relationship to the major subgroups of the genus has been entirely unclear. It is shown that C. meshhedensis must be included in C. elata, that C. elata is actually widely distributed in NNE and NE Iran, and, based on chromosome number, flower and pollen morphology, that it is a member of Cousinia s.str. (C. subg. Cousinia). Within Cousinia s.str., C. elata is most closely related to species traditionally classified as C. sect. Platyacanthae, based on a Bayesian ITS sequence analysis. The name C. elata and its synonyms C. meshhedensis and C. strictissima are lectotypified and an amended description of the species and a map of its distribution are provided.

Cousinia kilouyensis, from the SW Iranian province of Boyer Ahmadi va Kohkilouyeh, is described as a species new to science and illustrated. It belongs to C. sect. Leiocaules, which is easily recognized by entirely glabrous, ivory white stems, shining, glabrous, not-decurrent leaves, small heads with few flower and few, lacerate, acuminate-spinose involucral bracts. The new species is compared with the morphologically nearest species, C. quettensis from Afghanistan and Pakistan and C. beauverdiana from Kerman province, Iran.

Oreocome sect. Evittatae is described as new to science to accommodate the former Selinum vaginatum from India and Pakistan and a newly described species, O. aegopodioides, from Uttarakhand, India, both without vittae in their mericarps. O. sect. Oreocome is enlarged by two species from Afghanistan, the newly described O. nuristanica, which is related to O. candollei, and O. duriuscula, which is transferred from Selinum. S. stewartii from Afghanistan and Pakistan is transferred to Seseli. Correspondingly three new nomenclatural combinations, O. arguta (for S. vaginatum and the conspecific Levisticum argutum), O. duriuscula and Seseli stewartii, are validated. Our analyses revealed, that the genus Selinum is entirely absent from the Sino-Himalayan region and adjacent Afghanistan. Oreocome in its revised circumscription comprises nine species in two sections.

A species of Saussurea from the S. obvallata group is described as new to science and illustrated. It occurs in the central and eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in western China, in the high alpine zone above 4000 m altitude. First chromosome counts for the species resulted in 2n = 32. All previous Chinese records of S. conica, a distinct taxon so far actually known only from Sikkim and Bhutan, can be attributed to the new species.

Five species of Selaginella growing in the West Indies present hairs on their leaves. They are here revised, with full descriptions, illustrations, specimen citations and an identification key. Two of them, both endemic to Cuba, are described as new to science: S. epipubens, an acidophilous species from W Cuba (Pinar del Río province and Isla de la Juventud), and S. urquiolae, a calcicolous species from W Cuba (Pinar del Río province).

In the study of the genus Cyrilla in Cuba seven new taxa are described: C. coriacea, C. lutgardae, C. macrocarpa, C. megaphylla, C. microareolata (with two subspecies) and C. silvae. Together with C. cubensis and C. nipensis, previously known, eight Cyrilla species grow in Cuba. Their principal diagnostic features are in leaf morphology and fruit size. Cyrilla species are found growing throughout Cuba, in lowland and mountains, principally in gallery woods along rivers, in montane and submontane rainforest, cloud forest, pine woods, xerophytic ± thorny scrub on serpentine and in savannahs. A key to all Cuban taxa is provided.

Cuba is an important centre of diversity of the genus Plinia. The study of Cuban Plinia material, in the herbaria and in the field, resulted in the recognition of 16 morphologically discrete taxa. Seven of them are presented here: those growing in, and endemic to, the Pinar del Río province in W Cuba. One is described as a new species, P. arenicola, known from a single locality in the southwestern part of the province, where it is confined to quartzitic sand habitats. One of the seven previously described species, P. toscanosia, is reduced to synonymy under P. dermatodes.

The taxonomic history of Zephyranthes andina (≡ Haylockia andina) and five related taxa is analysed. The study of herbarium material and photographs, and observation of live plants in the field and in cultivation allowed an evaluation of the variation of flower characters, such as style length, used by other authors for taxonomic delimitation of Z. andina and five additional species, three published in Zephyranthes and two in Haylockia. A lectotype for the name Haylockia andina is designated. Five names are reduced to synonymy. The generic position of the single taxon is discussed. The first chromosome counts (2n = 20), a distribution map, phenological data, an evaluation of its conservation status and ample photographic illustration of flowering plants in nature and in cultivation are provided.

During World War II part of the material stored at the herbarium of the Natural History Museum Vienna (W) was destroyed by fire, including the majority of the Bromeliaceae collection and some types of Bromelia names. In the cases of B. poeppigii and B. reversacantha original material accompanied by anatomical drawings relevant for the delimitation of the species has now been discovered at the herbarium of the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (B). Lectotypes are designated and, in the case of B. reversacantha, an epitype is selected.

A detailed floristic study of Kalimnos resulted in the discovery of 232 vascular plant taxa (species and subspecies) that have not been reported previously from the island and are given in the present contribution. As a consequence, the known vascular plant flora of Kalimnos now comprises about 840 taxa. The distribution on the island of each added taxon, as well as its habitat types, are presented. Linum grandiflorum is reported for the first time as an adventive from Greece, Chasmanthe vittigera is reported as new for the Aegean islands, and Amaranthus muricatus and Taraxacum serotinum as new for the E Aegean islands. Some of the added taxa are not common in Greece, in particular Euphorbia valerianifolia, Heliotropium lasiocarpum, Hyoscyamus aureus, Phacelia tanacetifolia and Silene urvillei.

165 taxa of lichens are reported from three localities in Johannes V. Jensen Land in N Greenland. Their associations are briefly indicated. Cladonia libifera and Parmelia skultii are new to Greenland. 130 taxa are new to Johannes V. Jensen Land. Geology and climate of the area are described. The lichen flora is fairly rich in spite of the extremely unfavourable climatic conditions prevailing in this northernmost land area on earth.

55 species are reported new to Greece, 43 new to the Greek mainland and 172 new to one or more of the Greek provinces. A considerable proportion of the newly reported lichens are hitherto known to have a Central European distribution. For these lichens the new records represent significant range extensions.

From Tandoureh National Park, Razavi Khorasan province, and Darkesh Reserved Region, Northern Khorasan province, NE Iran, 51 lichen species are reported. Four species (Anema nodulosum, Arthonia lapidicola, Collema conglomeratum, Leptogium trichophorum) are new to Iran and 28 species are new to their provinces.