Phylogeny and Biogeography of Endemic Festuca (Poaceae) from New Zealand Based on Nuclear (ITS) and Chloroplast (trnL–trnF) Nucleotide Sequences

Abstract

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the endemic New Zealand (NZ) species of Festuca (Poaceae, Pooideae) by assessing sequence variation from the nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a chloroplast intergenic spacer (trnL-trnF) and by measuring DNA content using flow cytometry. The ITS and trnL-trnF data sets were congruent in showing that the NZ species of Festuca have two origins. One group, containing F. coxii, F. luciarum, F. multinodis, and F. ultramafica, is closely related to Festuca sect. Aulaxyper. The other group includes a clade of five endemic species (F. actae, F. deflexa, F. madida, F. matthewsii, F. novae-zelandiae) and one species (F. contracta) with a circum-Antarctic distribution. The North American species F. californica is sister to the latter group in the trnL-trnF phylogeny but not so in the ITS phylogeny. The differentiation of endemic NZ species into two groups is supported by differences in chromosome number and genome size, the latter showing an inverse relationship to ploidy level. We discuss the ecology and biogeography of NZ's endemic species of Festuca. Origin from Northern Hemisphere ancestors via dispersal to NZ through the American continents is a plausible hypothesis based on current information.

Assessment of ITS1, ITS2, 5′-ETS, and trnL-F DNA Barcodes for Metabarcoding of Poaceae Pollen

“…Furthermore, comparative studies have shown a good capability of trnL intron and trnL-trnF (trnL-F) intergenic spacers, ITS region, and their combinations to resolve grass species [23][24][25][26]. Indel and SNP patterns of the trnL-F intergenic spacer and ITS region have been employed for infrageneric classification and phylogeny study of Chascolytrum and Festuca genera [27,28].…”

Diversification of Chionochloa (Poaceae) and biogeography of the New Zealand Southern Alps

“…, 2001), New Zealand hebes ( Veronica s.l., Plantaginaceae; Meudt & Simpson, 2006; Meudt & Bayly, 2008), Myosotis (Boraginaceae; Winkworth et al. , 2002a), Stylidiaceae (Wagstaff & Wege, 2002), Pachycladon (Brassicaceae; Heenan & Mitchell, 2003), Gentianella (Gentianaceae; Glenny, 2004) and Festuca (Poaceae; Lloyd et al. , 2007), but relatively few of these are suitable for testing the above hypotheses.…”

The evolution of indigenous grasses and their response to environmental change

“…Luckily the Festuca tussocks provided an interesting story, with two independent origins for the New Zealand species (Figure 2), the two groups of species also being separated by chromosome number and size. I presented this information at a five-yearly international conference on grasses and monocots (Lloyd et al 2003c), and my presentation was later published as a paper in the proceedings of the conference some four years after I had given it (Lloyd et al 2007). At the conference I found that grass taxonomists were a very friendly and collegial bunch, and didn't mind talking to an ecologist with a very limited feel for plant systematics.…”