Variation in the Ononis repens group (Fabaceae): implications for species determination and conservation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33928/bib.2025.07.098Keywords:
phenotypic plasticity, hybrids, polyploidy, RestharrowsAbstract
Whilst going through the Ononis L. specimens in the British & Irish Herbarium at the Natural History Museum, London (BM), problems were encountered with distinguishing some specimens of O. repens L. from O. spinosa L. due to conflicting morphological characteristics. This may come as no surprise to those familiar with identifying Ononis, but it did prompt an interesting investigation into the herbarium specimens at BM, as well as a survey of relevant literature and field observations. What emerged is an interesting story in which both genetic and environmental factors appear to influence Ononis morphology in ways that could have implications for recording accuracy and conservation. To further explore this, the ploidy levels of putative hybrids collected in the field were assessed using flow cytometry. As expected, O. spinosa was confirmed to be diploid and O. repens tetraploid, suggesting that any F₁ hybrids should be triploid. However, all morphologically intermediate specimens analysed were diploid. It is therefore hypothesised that these diploid intermediates are a form of O. spinosa displaying some morphological features of O. repens due to phenotypic adaptation or introgression. The ecological and taxonomic implications of these findings are discussed.
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