Abstract
Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heywood (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) is a small, caespitose plant growing in high alpine environments in all the main southern European mountain ranges. However, the species status in the Balkan Peninsula (and especially in the Dinaric Alps) is not very well known. Surrounding this area, different L. alpina subspecies are found in the Eastern Alps and in the Carpathians. These subspecies differ from one another, both morphologically and in chromosome number. The present study aims to better characterise the populations of L. alpina in the Illyrian and Balkan regions by undertaking a comprehensive survey of herbarium collections for the species in this area, by applying flow cytometry for ploidy determination and by sequencing of two chloroplast markers. Results from our investigation suggest that the only population of the species in the Dinaric Alps is found in the Vranica Mts (Bosnia and Herzegovina). This population consists of diploid plants (unlike tetraploid populations from the Eastern Alps) that are slightly distinct genetically from those of the subspecies growing in the Eastern Alps and the Tatra Mts. Both the ploidy and their genetic distinction indicate that Vranica Mts most probably served as a refugium for the species during the Pleistocene glaciations. Considering its isolated geographical range and its genetic distinction, the population of L. alpina growing in the Vranica Mts should be considered as a separate subspecies.
Highlights
Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heywood (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) is a small, caespitose, scapose perennial herb that grows in high alpine environments at elevations of (1800–) 2000–3600 m (Tomasello and Oberprieler 2017)
Seven subspecific taxa are known and three ploidy levels have been recorded across its distribution range. It is completely missing from the Iberian Peninsula; a hexaploid Leucanthemopsis population from the Sierra de Úrbion (i.e. L. alpina subsp. cuneata (Pau) Heywood = L. cuneata (Pau) Holub) is not considered to be part of the species; this has been amply demonstrated by earlier studies (Holub 1977; Tomasello 2014; Pedrol 2019)
In the Balkan Peninsula, the species is present in the Southern Carpathians and the Dinaric Alps, until this study was completed, the species’ status was unclear for the latter area
Summary
Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heywood (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) is a small, caespitose, scapose perennial herb that grows in high alpine environments at elevations of (1800–) 2000–3600 m (Tomasello and Oberprieler 2017). Beck et al (1983) reported the presence of L. alpina in the Vranica Mts and Mt. Maglić (Bosnia and Herzegovina). A genome size of 2C = 25.13 pg (SD: 0.32) was reported for the species, which would be indicative of hexaploid plants in L. alpina (Tomasello & Oberprieler, 2017).
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