Abstract
Veronica orientalis and related species form one of the taxonomically most challenging subgroups within the genus Veronica. Hybridization and polyploidization on the one hand and convergent character evolution on the other have made delimitation of species difficult. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms and plastid DNA markers were used in conjunction with 54 morphological characters to study relationships among 35 accessions of V. orientalis Mill. as well as other closely related species of Veronica occurring in Turkey and adjacent areas of Georgia and Armenia. In addition, ploidy levels were estimated for 15 accessions using flow cytometry. Diploid to hexaploid individuals were detected in V. orientalis. Analysis of DNA markers demonstrated the non-monophyly of V. orientalis, especially with regard to V. fuhsii and V. multifida from Eastern Turkey, but nuclear and plastid DNA markers are largely incongruent. Neither demonstrates a clear biogeographic pattern. The morphological analysis reveals the distinction of V. orientalis subsp. carduchorum, which is weakly retrieved in some molecular analyses and some clustering according to geography. V. multifida is not monophyletic likely due to parallel evolution of pinnatifid leaves east and west of the Anatolian diagonal.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
