Taxonomic status of Populus wulianensis and P. ningshanica (Salicaceae)

By

Zhang, Lei
Wang, Mingcheng
Ma, Tao
Liu, Jianquan

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

108

Pages

117-129

Subjects

DNA barcodes , geometric morphometrics , integrated species delimitation , microsatellites

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.108.25600

 

Abstract

Species delimitation in the genusPopulusis particularly challenging due to high levels of intraspecific polymorphism as well as frequent interspecific hybridisation and introgression. In this study, we aimed to examine the taxonomic status ofPopulusningshanicaandP.wulianensisusing an integrative taxonomy that considers multiple operational criteria. We carried out morphometric analyses of leaf traits and genetic examinations (including sequence variations at five barcoding DNAs and polymorphisms at 14 nuclear microsatellite SSR primers) at the population level between them and two closely related speciesP.adenopodaandP.davidiana. Results suggest thatP.wulianensisbelongs to the polymorphic species,P.adenopodaand should be considered as a synonym of the latter.P.ningshanicamay have arisen as a result on the hybridisation betweenP.adenopodaandP.davidianaand therefore should be treated asP.×ningshanica. This study highlights the importance of the integrated evidence in taxonomic decisions of the disputed species.