A phylogenetic analysis of the wild Tulipa species (Liliaceae) of Kosovo based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequence

Abstract

In Kosovo, the genus Tulipa is represented by eight taxa, most of which form a species complex surrounding Tulipa scardica. To investigate the phylogenetic relationship of these Tulipa species a Bayesian analysis was undertaken using the ITS nuclear marker and trnL‐trnF, rbcL and psbA‐trnH plastid markers. The resulting phylogenetic trees show that Kosovarian Tulipa species consistently group into two main clades, the subgenera Eriostemones and Tulipa. Furthermore, our analyses provide some evidence that the subspecies of Tulipa sylvestris are genetically distinguishable, however not significantly enough to support their reclassification as species. In contrast, the markers provide some novel information to reassess the species concepts of the T. scardica complex. Our data provide support for the synonymisation of Tulipa luanica and Tulipa kosovarica under the species Tulipa serbica. Resolution and sampling limitations hinder any concrete conclusion about whether Tulipa albanica and T. scardica are true species, yet our data do provide some support that these are unique taxa and therefore should continue to be treated as such until further clarification. Overall, our work shows that genetic data will be important in determining species concepts in this genus, however, even with a molecular perspective pulling apart closely related taxa can be extremely challenging.

Tulipa toktogulica (Liliaceae), a cryptic, endangered new species from the western Tien-Shan, Kyrgyzstan

“…Populations of these other species have been reported to be under threat from livestock overgrazing across this area. This new species is also threatened by climate change that is predicted to lead to significant loss of tulip habitat across Central Asia through changes in rainfall and temperature patterns (Wilson et al 2021). Finally, opportunistic collection of wild tulips has also been observed in the Toktogul area, which may lead to diminishing wild populations.…”

“…However, there remains significant uncertainty about their monophyly, and recent genetic work indicates further analyses are required to assess sectional integrity (Christenhusz et al 2013). In addition, some cases of over-splitting of species has occurred (Hajdari et al 2021), and many previously described species have since had to be synonymised (Christenhusz et al 2013). Therefore, there are still many considerable taxonomic challenges remaining in the genus, and there is a need to be careful and integrative when describing new species, especially when assigning them to respective subgenera and sections.…”

Comprehensive Analysis of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Rehmannia chingii: An Autotrophic Species in the Orobanchaceae Family

“…They are semi-autonomous organelles with a transcription/translation system that is not exactly the same as the nuclear genome. The plastid genome (plastome, cp DNA) has a conserved gene number and structure in most plants, making them a good source for phylogenetic studies [2][3][4]. The mitochondrion is an important organelle of eukaryotes, as it is the energy factory of organisms and plays a crucial role in biological physiological Genes 2024, 15, 98 2 of 18 activities by participating in energy metabolism, signal transduction, and apoptosis [5,6].…”

Phylogenetic Analysis of Rare and Endangered Tulipa Species (Liliaceae) of Kazakhstan Based on Universal Barcoding Markers

“…In total, 15 species of Tulipa from Uzbekistan were sequenced and characterized in terms of their phylogenetic relationship using four plastid ( rbc L, psb A- trn H, mat K, and trn L- trn F) and ITS markers [ 5 ]. Eight taxa including six species and two subspecies of the genus Tulipa from Kosovo were investigated using the plastid markers trn L- trn F, rbc L, and psb A- trn H and ITS markers [ 36 ]. All of the above underscore the need to use diverse DNA markers and methods to analyze phylogenetic relationships and population structures, thereby providing valuable information and a platform for the advancement of genetic research.…”