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Evidence for bidirectional hybridization between Gymnadenia and Nigritella

Hedrén, Mikael LU ; Lorenz, Richard and Ståhlberg, David LU (2018) In Journal Europäischer Orchideen 50(1). p.43-60
Abstract
Despite morphological divergence, the two orchid genera Gymnadenia and
Nigritella are closely related and hybrids are often encountered at places where
members of the two genera grow together. On basis of pollination studies, it has
been suggested that members of Nigritella should have served as pollen parent to
these hybrids. Hybridization does not go beyond primary hybrid formation, but
one of the hybrids, Gymnigritella runei, is recognized as a separate species since
the hybrid genotype is maintained by apomixis and it is reproducing
independently of the parents. Surprisingly, a recent molecular analysis of G. runei
demonstrated that this hybrid evolved by the merger of an egg cell from Nigritella
and... (More)
Despite morphological divergence, the two orchid genera Gymnadenia and
Nigritella are closely related and hybrids are often encountered at places where
members of the two genera grow together. On basis of pollination studies, it has
been suggested that members of Nigritella should have served as pollen parent to
these hybrids. Hybridization does not go beyond primary hybrid formation, but
one of the hybrids, Gymnigritella runei, is recognized as a separate species since
the hybrid genotype is maintained by apomixis and it is reproducing
independently of the parents. Surprisingly, a recent molecular analysis of G. runei
demonstrated that this hybrid evolved by the merger of an egg cell from Nigritella
and a microgamete from Gymnadenia, contrary to what has been predicted from
pollination studies. Here, we conducted an extended study in which we analyzed
two additional hybrid combinations known from the Alps and which each has
originated repeatedly at different sites: G. conopsea × N. rhellicani, and
G. odoratissima × N. rhellicani. We show that each hybrid combination has
originated alternatively from Nigritella and Gymnadenia as egg parent. Our
results call for renewed studies on the pollination biology of Nigritella and
Gymnadenia, in particular on the movement of insects between plants of the
different genera and their potential function as pollen vectors. (Less)
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Journal Europäischer Orchideen
volume
50
issue
1
pages
43 - 60
ISSN
0945-7909
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
72d990e1-f5a8-4089-84fa-ea4d5763b614
date added to LUP
2018-11-05 13:46:53
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2020-04-09 12:03:31
@article{72d990e1-f5a8-4089-84fa-ea4d5763b614,
  abstract     = {{Despite morphological divergence, the two orchid genera Gymnadenia and<br/>Nigritella are closely related and hybrids are often encountered at places where<br/>members of the two genera grow together. On basis of pollination studies, it has<br/>been suggested that members of Nigritella should have served as pollen parent to<br/>these hybrids. Hybridization does not go beyond primary hybrid formation, but<br/>one of the hybrids, Gymnigritella runei, is recognized as a separate species since<br/>the hybrid genotype is maintained by apomixis and it is reproducing<br/>independently of the parents. Surprisingly, a recent molecular analysis of G. runei<br/>demonstrated that this hybrid evolved by the merger of an egg cell from Nigritella<br/>and a microgamete from Gymnadenia, contrary to what has been predicted from<br/>pollination studies. Here, we conducted an extended study in which we analyzed<br/>two additional hybrid combinations known from the Alps and which each has<br/>originated repeatedly at different sites: G. conopsea × N. rhellicani, and<br/>G. odoratissima × N. rhellicani. We show that each hybrid combination has<br/>originated alternatively from Nigritella and Gymnadenia as egg parent. Our<br/>results call for renewed studies on the pollination biology of Nigritella and<br/>Gymnadenia, in particular on the movement of insects between plants of the<br/>different genera and their potential function as pollen vectors.}},
  author       = {{Hedrén, Mikael and Lorenz, Richard and Ståhlberg, David}},
  issn         = {{0945-7909}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{43--60}},
  series       = {{Journal Europäischer Orchideen}},
  title        = {{Evidence for bidirectional hybridization between Gymnadenia and Nigritella}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}