A Phylogeny of the Genus Polemonium Based on Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) Markers

Abstract

The genus Polemonium is composed of animal-pollinated herbs found largely in North America. Wide phenotypic variation suggests rapid evolution of floral and vegetative morphology. However, phylogenetic relationships within Polemonium have received little attention. We present a phylogeny of Polemonium based on 1676 Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs). We obtained similar topologies through minimum evolution analysis using Nei-Li genetic distances and parsimony analysis. Our analyses supported the monophyly of most species, and indicated that the single annual species, P. micranthum, is sister to all perennial species. Relationships were well resolved among species separated by genetic distances < 0.16. Three well-supported clades each included taxa from one of three species complexes: the P. caeruleum complex, the P. pulcherrimum complex, or the P. viscosum complex. Relationships within clades were generally consistent with earlier systematic work. Exceptions were the inclusion of eastern North American P. reptans within the P. caeruleum clade, inclusion of P. boreale within the P. pulcherrimum clade, and a close relationship between tetraploid P. californicum and diploid P. pulcherrimum subsp. delicatum. Our results indicate that floral traits are quite divergent among close relatives within the genus, and provide a phylogenetic framework for research on adaptation and speciation in Polemonium.

Geography shapes the phylogeny of frailejones (Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae): a remarkable example of recent rapid radiation in sky islands

“…AFLPs are variable markers typically used for fingerprinting, estimating relatedness, genetic mapping and more recently for reconstructing phylogenies ( Avise, 2004 ; McKinnon et al, 2008 ; Meudt & Clarke, 2007 ; Vos et al, 1995 ). Numerous phylogenetic studies in recently radiated groups have used AFLPs ( Jabaily, 2009 ; Koopman et al, 2008 ; McKinnon et al, 2008 ; Schmidt-Lebuhn, 2007 ; Schmidt-Lebuhn, Kessler & Kumar, 2009 ; Worley, Ghazvini & Schemske, 2009 ). These markers have also been used successfully in phylogenetic reconstructions in Asteraceae ( Koopman, 2005 ; Koopman, Zevenbergen & Van den Berg, 2001 ).…”

Phylogeography and genetic variation in Western Jacob's ladder (Polemonium occidentale) provide insights into the origin and conservation of rare species in the Great Lakes region

“…Within Polemonium , P. occidentale belongs to a larger, circumboreal P. caeruleum species complex (Davidson, 1950). Molecular evidence has shown that the P. caeruleum complex is a natural group if slightly expanded to include P. reptans L. (Rose et al, 2021; Worley et al, 2009). Recently, we demonstrated that OCCLAC forms a polytomy with western P. occidentale and the closely related P. acutiflorum Willd.…”

Selection of trait combinations through bee and fly visitation to flowers of Polemonium foliosissimum

“…With this approach, we extended variation beyond that naturally present within populations of this species, allowing us to test for selection maintaining the current phenotype over potential mutants (Kessler et al ., ). Our experimentally generated treatments did fall within the range of colour and shapes seen in other North American species of Polemonium (Worley et al ., ). For colour manipulations, we painted flowers either titanium white or purple, the latter in a way that matched the average floral reflectance spectrum, using mixes of water‐based acrylic paints as have been used successfully in other pollinator studies with insects (Waser & Price, ; Campbell et al ., , ; Pohl et al ., ).…”