Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Olofsson, Jill K.
• Tyler, Torbjörn
• Dunning, Luke T.
• Hjertson, Mats
• Rühling, Åke
• Hansen, Anders J.

Titel

Morphological and genetic evidence suggest gene flow among native and naturalized mint species

Ist Teil von

• American journal of botany, 2024-02, Vol.111 (2), p.e16280-n/a

Ort / Verlag

United States: Botanical Society of America, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Premise Cultivation and naturalization of plants beyond their natural range can bring previously geographically isolated taxa together, increasing the opportunity for hybridization, the outcomes of which are not predictable. Here, we explored the phenotypic and genomic effects of interspecific gene flow following the widespread cultivation of Mentha spicata (spearmint), M. longifolia, and M. suaveolens. Methods We morphologically evaluated 155 herbarium specimens of three Mentha species and sequenced the genomes of a subset of 93 specimens. We analyzed the whole genomes in a population and the phylogenetic framework and associated genomic classifications in conjunction with the morphological assessments. Results The allopolyploid M. spicata, which likely evolved in cultivation, had altered trichome characters, that is possibly a product of human selection for a more palatable plant or a byproduct of selection for essential oils. There were signs of genetic admixture between mints, including allopolyploids, indicating that the reproductive barriers between Mentha species with differences in ploidy are likely incomplete. Still, despite gene flow between species, we found that genetic variants associated with the cultivated trichome morphology continue to segregate. Conclusions Although hybridization, allopolyploidization, and human selection during cultivation can increase species richness (e.g., by forming hybrid taxa), we showed that unless reproductive barriers are strong, these processes can also result in mixing of genes between species and the potential loss of natural biodiversity.