<p class="HeadingRunIn"><strong>A preliminary evaluation of the ancestry of a putative <em>Sabal</em> hybrid (Arecaceae: Coryphoideae), and the description of a new nothospecies, <em>Sabal × brazoriensis</em></strong></p>

Abstract

In a coastal plain forest in eastern Texas, USA, occurs a population of a putative Sabal hybrid, one of few native, putative palm hybrids in the continental USA. Robust plants with large trunks, they are morphologically dissimilar to the much smaller and acaulescent plants of S. minor, with which they co-occur. The only other large Sabal species in the USA are S. mexicana and S. palmetto, with S. mexicana native only to Texas. Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), we sampled several plants of the putative hybrid and its possible parents in order to evaluate its possible hybrid origin. UPGMA, principal coordinate analysis, and Bayesian analyses indicated that it seems to be a hybrid, but an old one, with clear genetic distinctiveness. However, these results also suggest a closer affinity of the putative hybrid with S. minor and S. palmetto than with S. mexicana, excluding the latter species from possible parentage. Results also suggest that S. minor, despite its wide morphological diversity, is a clearly coherent species with minimal evidence of introgression, except for Mexican material that appears to be introgressed with S. mexicana. Sabal palmetto may also possess a complicated genetic history not necessarily reflected in its morphology. RESUMENEn un bosque de la planicie oriental de Texas, EEUU, se encuentra una aparente población híbrida de Sabal, una de pocas palmas nativas aparentemente híbridas en los EEUU continental. Plantas robustas con grandes troncos, son morfológicamente disimilares a las mucho más pequeñas y acaulescentes plantas de S. minor, con las que coocurren. Las únicas otras especies grandes de Sabal en los EEUU son S. mexicana y S. palmetto, de las cuales solo S. mexicana es nativa a Texas. Utilizando polimorfismos de longitud de fragmentos amplificados (AFLPs), muestreamos varias plantas del híbrido aparente y de sus posibles padres para evaluar su posible origen híbrido. UPGMA, análisis de coordenadas principales y análisis Bayesianos indicaron que parece ser un híbrido, pero uno viejo, con clara distinción genética. Sin embargo, estos resultados también sugieren una más cercana afinidad del híbrido aparente con S. minor y S. palmetto que con S. mexicana, excluyendo a esta última especie de posible parentage. Los resultados también sugieren que S. minor, a pesar de su diversidad morfológica, es claramente una especie coherente con mínima evidencia de introgresión, excepto de material Mexicano que aparenta tener introgresión de S. mexicana. Sabal palmetto puede también poseer una historia genética complicada no necesariamente reflejada en su morfología.

Climate change winners and losers: The effects of climate change on five palm species in the Southeastern United States

“…For example, Goldman (1999) documented an isolated population of S. minor south of the main range in Nuevo León, Mexico (Goldman, 1999). However, this population shows introgression with S. mexicana (Goldman et al., 2011), a species that is widespread in Central America, and it is possible that the tolerance of S. minor for the climate in this location could be partly genetic.…”

“…Read, nothosp. nov.) in Brazoria County, Texas, which is located approximately 1,000 km west of the nearest native Sabal palmetto population (Goldman, Klooster, & Griffith, 2011).…”

Phylogenomic analyses of species relationships in the genusSabal(Arecaceae) using targeted sequence capture

“…Interspecific hybridization has been implicated within Sabal ; Goldman et al . () characterized Sabal × brazoriensis D.H. Goldman, L. Lockett, & R.W. Read, nothosp.…”

“…Adding to the challenge, many morphological traits can vary widely within a species (Zona, ). To date, there has been very little assessment of molecular variation within and among Sabal species (but see Goldman et al ., ). Zona's cladogram, based on 22 morphological characters, generally groups species by geographical proximity; the species within the USA form a clade and a large group of Mexican/Yucatan/South American species are placed sister to the Caribbean and Bermudan species.…”

Anti-androgenic potential of the fruit extracts of certain Egyptian Sabal species and their genetic variability studies: a metabolomic-molecular modeling approach

“…Although the genus Sabal is defined by several morphological attributes, the resolution of species relationships within this genus has been limitedly investigated due to the wide variability of informative characters/morphological traits within a species. 22 To date, limited studies have been conducted to assess the molecular variation within and among Sabal species. 23 Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the genetic relationships and assess the level of polymorphism among the four Sabal species ( S. yapa , S. palmetto , S. causiarum and S. blackburniana ), using two efficient functional marker systems (SCoT and CBDP).…”