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Abstract
Moricandia moricandioides subsp. pseudofoetida is a taxon endemic to the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, of which only one population is known. In this study, we used Inter Simple Sequence Repeat molecular markers to compare the taxon's genetic diversity with that of populations with similar ecological characteristics belonging to Iberian endemic species of the genus Moricandia (M. moricandioides subsp. moricandioides and Moricandia foetida) and to the widely distributed Moricandia arvensis, in the context of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The results indicated that M. moricandioides subsp. pseudofoetida has genetic diversity values similar to the two other endemic taxa, while M. arvensis has higher diversity values. We established a hypothesis concerning the origin of M. moricandioides subsp. pseudofoetida, since our results suggested that this taxon arose by reproductive isolation rather than hybridization between M. foetida and M. moricandioides. Our results might serve as a starting point to obtain a clear phylogenetic pattern for the genus. Finally, we proposed measures for the conservation of this rare taxon and recommendations for the collection of siliques to establish a seed bank.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Dr Josep A. Rosselló, from the University of Valencia, and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript. Also, they thank Dr Juan F. Mota, from the University of Almería, for his assistance in the collection of M. foetida samples. This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (CGL2008-00423/BOS).