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AOBPreview published online on June 14, 2006
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl120
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received September 19, 2005
Revised November 8, 2005
Accepted April 7, 2006

Article

Systematic Significance of Seed Morphology in Veronica (Plantaginaceae): A Phylogenetic Perspective

LUZ M. MUÑOZ-CENTENO 1, DIRK C. ALBACH 2, JOSE A. SÁNCHEZ-AGUDO 1, and M. MONTSERRAT MARTÍNEZ-ORTEGA 1 *

1 Departamento de Botánica, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37007 Salamanca, Spain
2 Institut für Spezielle Botanik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Bentzelweg 9b, 55099 Mainz, Germany

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
M. MONTSERRAT MARTÍNEZ-ORTEGA, E-mail: mmo{at}usal.es


  Abstract

• Background and Aims A new infrageneric rearrangement for Veronica has been proposed based on the most recent evidence from DNA sequence data, morphological evidence, and biogeographical considerations. Looking for morphological synapomorphies for each monophyletic subgenus has been problematic, due to difficulties arising from widespread homoplasy (mainly parallel evolution). In an attempt to overcome these difficulties, previously underexplored morphological characters are starting to be studied in more depth.

• Methods A molecular phylogenetic hypothesis was used based on sequences of ITS (nuclear ribosomal DNA) and plastid trnL-F regions, as a framework to test the use of seed coat ultrastructure (studied under scanning electron microscope) in the systematics of the genus. A sample of 132 taxa representing ten of the 13 subgenera in Veronica, excluding the species of the southern hemisphere Hebe complex and the exclusively North American subgenus Synthyris, was studied.

• Key Results and Conclusions The results demonstrate that, in many cases, the ultrastucture of the testa can be employed to assess relationships of taxa within the genus, and the character provides additional support for molecular trees. Further characters relevant for the classification of Veronica, i.e. base chromosome number, iridoid chemical data, life cycle, inflorescence position, have been taken into consideration in a discussion where an attempt is made to highlight the best traits to characterize each subgenus investigated.

Keywords: Plantaginaceae, Veronica, seed coat, ITS, trnL-F, phylogeny, systematics.
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