Abstract
Many species have been introduced beyond their native ranges and many have become global weeds. Human mediated dispersal has removed the geographic isolation of these species, reversing millions of years of independent evolution. Examples are the Oxalis species in section Corniculatae where several species have become invasive. Here we characterize and formally describe a hybrid between O. dillenii and O. corniculata, which occurs spontaneously in Belgium and Japan. Oxalis corniculata is probably native to Japan, but both species are alien to Belgium and O. dillenii is native to North America. We formally name this hybrid as Oxalis × vanaelstii. Although this hybrid is sterile, it is nevertheless vigorous and perennial. Both parent species grow as weeds in gardens; therefore, it is likely to be more common than currently appreciated in countries where these species co-occur.
Highlights
The human mediated redistribution of plant species, whether by accident or design, facilitates the hybridization of species that were once separated by millennia of independent evolution (Largiadèr 2008)
One of the authors (IH) has maintained a small living collection of Oxalis species in his home garden in Aalter (Belgium, prov. of East Flanders). Among these plants are Oxalis corniculata var. atropurpurea and O. dillenii, both collected as weeds in plant containers offered for sale in garden centers and nurseries
It has intermediate morphological characters as does the one we describe here. Their specimens are of intermediate habit and the stipules are winged as are ours. They found that the amount of nuclear DNA of O. corniculata was about twice that of O. dillenii with the hybrid being intermediate
Summary
The human mediated redistribution of plant species, whether by accident or design, facilitates the hybridization of species that were once separated by millennia of independent evolution (Largiadèr 2008). Marked on the future evolution of plants (Vallejo-Marín and Hiscock 2016). Hybrids can occur in a geographic range where one parent is native and the other is alien Ayres and Strong 2001), and between two species brought together in a range where they are both alien The genus Oxalis is one of the weediest genera and many species have become naturalized beyond their native ranges (Pyšek et al 2017). Oxalis species from all over the world are being brought together with sibling species where they may have the opportunity to cross pollinate
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