Veronica vindobonensis

Discussion of the taxon / Таксоны / Forum

The two widespread taxa V. ch. subsp. chamaedrys and V. vindo- bonensis both comprise diploid and tetraploid cytotypes (Fig. 3) and could neither be differentiated by molecular data (Figs. 2–5) nor by PCoA of morphometric data (Fig. 6)—even in the discrimi- nant analysis Eastern and Western Groups overlap strongly (Appendix 5). Additionally, in contrast to the northwestern distri- bution edge of V. vindobonensis in eastern Austria (Fischer et al., 2008), the vegetation of the sampling sites did not reveal obvious habitat differentiation between these entities and both entities were found from wet to dry habitats, in open forests or meadows (K. Bardy, personal observations). Although the AFLP data (Fig. 3) suggested two genetic entities, these can neither be paralleled with morphometric data nor are they congruent with a priori determi- nations of voucher specimens (Figs. 3 and 6). Although we cannot entirely exclude the possibility that morphological differential characters might still be found, we favour to treat these two lin- eages as informal phylogeographical groups within V. ch. subsp. chamaedrys, which thus becomes a morphologically and cytologi- cally variable taxon comprising diploids as well as mainly autotet- raploid derivatives.

Although the AFLP data (Fig. 3) suggested two genetic entities, these can neither be paralleled with morphometric data nor are they congruent with a priori determinations of voucher specimens

we favour to treat these two lineages as informal phylogeographical groups