A well-resolved phylogeny of Epilobium (Onagraceae) taxa in the British Isles finds no correlation between genomic divergence and the outcome of hybridisation
A well-resolved phylogeny of Epilobium (Onagraceae) taxa in the British Isles finds no correlation between genomic divergence and the outcome of hybridisation
Background: Hybridisation plays a key role in plant evolution. The extent to which parental divergence can predict the outcome of hybridisation (e.g. the ability to form hybrids and hybrid fertility) has most often been studied using a small number of individuals and/or DNA barcodes which could result in erroneous measures of parental divergence. Aims: This study investigated the relationship between genetic divergence and the formation and fertility of hybrids, using Epilobium sect. Epilobium (willowherbs) of the British Isles as a model. Methods: We used reduced representation sequencing to generate a phylogeny of Epilobium, which vary in their propensity to hybridise. Genetic distance was compared to the occurrence and seed set of hybrids using the literature available on this genus. Results: A phylogeny constructed from 3522 quality-filtered SNPs from 44 samples of 10 species and four putative hybrid individuals, resolved all but one species as monophyletic. Two hybrid individuals were confirmed, and one additional hybrid was identified. All were likely to be F1 hybrids. Conclusion: We did not detect a significant relationship between parental divergence and hybridisation likelihood and/or hybrid fertility in Epilobium sect. Epilobium, contradicting the hypothesis that increasing genetic divergence decreases hybrid formation and hybrid fertility.
Epilobium, hybrid fertility, hybrid viability, hybridisation, incompatibilities, parental genetic divergence
Saward, Kaitlin
f18f2561-740f-4975-a836-9cfd65e558bd
Kitchener, Geoffrey
36209d6a-9cb4-4207-b7ce-94f06d7d13a3
Chapman, Mark A.
8bac4a92-bfa7-4c3c-af29-9af852ef6383
Saward, Kaitlin
f18f2561-740f-4975-a836-9cfd65e558bd
Kitchener, Geoffrey
36209d6a-9cb4-4207-b7ce-94f06d7d13a3
Chapman, Mark A.
8bac4a92-bfa7-4c3c-af29-9af852ef6383
Saward, Kaitlin, Kitchener, Geoffrey and Chapman, Mark A.
(2025)
A well-resolved phylogeny of Epilobium (Onagraceae) taxa in the British Isles finds no correlation between genomic divergence and the outcome of hybridisation.
Plant Ecology and Diversity.
(doi:10.1080/17550874.2025.2549587).
Abstract
Background: Hybridisation plays a key role in plant evolution. The extent to which parental divergence can predict the outcome of hybridisation (e.g. the ability to form hybrids and hybrid fertility) has most often been studied using a small number of individuals and/or DNA barcodes which could result in erroneous measures of parental divergence. Aims: This study investigated the relationship between genetic divergence and the formation and fertility of hybrids, using Epilobium sect. Epilobium (willowherbs) of the British Isles as a model. Methods: We used reduced representation sequencing to generate a phylogeny of Epilobium, which vary in their propensity to hybridise. Genetic distance was compared to the occurrence and seed set of hybrids using the literature available on this genus. Results: A phylogeny constructed from 3522 quality-filtered SNPs from 44 samples of 10 species and four putative hybrid individuals, resolved all but one species as monophyletic. Two hybrid individuals were confirmed, and one additional hybrid was identified. All were likely to be F1 hybrids. Conclusion: We did not detect a significant relationship between parental divergence and hybridisation likelihood and/or hybrid fertility in Epilobium sect. Epilobium, contradicting the hypothesis that increasing genetic divergence decreases hybrid formation and hybrid fertility.
Text
A well-resolved phylogeny of Epilobium Onagraceae taxa in the British Isles finds no correlation between genomic divergence and the outcome of hybri
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 14 August 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 26 August 2025
Additional Information:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Keywords:
Epilobium, hybrid fertility, hybrid viability, hybridisation, incompatibilities, parental genetic divergence
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 506687
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/506687
ISSN: 1755-0874
PURE UUID: ec0fdeec-a217-4ad6-b318-f461083ede44
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 13 Nov 2025 17:55
Last modified: 14 Nov 2025 03:02
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Kaitlin Saward
Author:
Geoffrey Kitchener
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics