Josefa López

Several new floristic discoveries corresponding to angiosperms are announced, of which three are native and four are exotic. Specifically, three are new to the Extremadura region (Genista monspessulana, Trifolium nigrescens subsp. nigrescens and Acer pseudoplatanus), two to the province of Cáceres (Eucalyptus gomphocephala and Campsis radicans), and one to the province of Badajoz (Mollugo verticillata). Additionally, the persistence of Cynanchica aristata subsp. scabra is confirmed in the territory.

La revisión de material de angiospermas conservado en el herbario UNEX y de recolecciones recientes en Extremadura han revelado 13 novedades florísticas. Concretamente, respecto de taxones autóctonos, tres son nuevos para la región (Gagea bohemica, Rumex spinosus, Thrincia maroccana), uno para la provincia de Cáceres (Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. gandogeri) y tres para la de Badajoz (Rorippa sylvestris, Oenanthe pimpinelloides, Torilis arvensis subsp. recta). También se resaltan seis especies alóctonas, de las cuales tres son nuevas para Extremadura (Chasmanthe floribunda, Oxalis bowiei, Ludwigia grandiflora), una para la provincia de Badajoz (Cercis siliquastrum) y dos para la de Cáceres (Physalis isocarpa, Solanum bonariense).

Se dan a conocer diez novedades florísticas correspondientes a seis especies no conocidas antes para Extremadura (Eleocharis bonariensis, Delphinium hispanicum, Lathyrus setifolius, Medicago scutellata, Pistacia vera y Rumex palustris), dos nuevas para la provincia de Badajoz (Genista tridentata subsp. cantabrica y Drosera rotundifolia) y dos que amplían su área o ratifican su presencia en la región (Rhynchospora alba y Salsola kali). De las diez novedades, seis son autóctonas y cuatro alóctonas.

Valerianella (cornsalad) is a taxonomically complex genus formed by 50–65 annual Holarctic species classified into at least four main sections. Carpological traits (sizes and shapes of achenes and calyx teeth) have been used to characterize its sections and species. However, the potential systematic value of these traits at different taxonomic ranks (from sections to species (and infraspecific taxa)) has not been tested phylogenetically yet. Here, we have assessed the evolutionary systematic value of Valerianella diagnostic carpological traits at different hierarchical ranks and have demonstrated their ability to separate taxa at the sectional level but not at species level for species of several species pairs. A total of 426 individuals (17 species, 4 sections) of Valerianella were analyzed using AFLP and plastid data. Genetic clusters, phylogenetic trees, and haplotype networks support the taxonomic classification of Valerianella at the four studied sectional levels (V. sects. Valerianella, Cornigerae, Coronatae, Platycoelae) but show admixture for ten taxa from five species pairs (V. locusta—V. carinata, V. coronata—V. pumila, V. multidentata—V. discoidea, V. dentata—V. rimosa, V. eriocarpa—V. microcarpa), which are not reciprocally monophyletic. Dating analyses indicate that the Valerianella sections are relatively old (mid-Miocene), while most species diverged in the Pliocene–Pleistocene. A new section Valerianella sect. Stipitae is described to accommodate the highly divergent and taxonomically distinct V. fusiformis type species. Taxonomic treatments that recognize the sectional ranks and that subsume the separate species of each species pair into single species represent a natural classification for Valerianella.

The ornithophilous species Anagyris foetida L. is a Mediterranean shrub with highly fragmented populations and a mixed mating system. In a previous study, we analyzed the first 3 years of the life cycle of two progenies (selfed and outcrossed) grown from seed obtained by hand pollination and planted in an experimental garden in 2005. In that study, we found that inbreeding depression (ID) was manifested both reproductively and vegetatively throughout the life cycle, with male reproductive function being the most affected trait. In the present study, our main aim was to check the progression of the two progenies 12 years after transplantation. For this we analyzed their survival and their vegetative and reproductive traits. According to our results, levels of ID were similar to those obtained in the previous study, with some factors decreased and thus varying with the age of the studied individuals. Vegetative parameters were found to have a greater influence than reproductive ones (δ = 0.56 vs. δ = 0.36) on overall ID. As indicated by the global ID (δ = 0.72) the populations have a mating system that is intermediate between outcrossing and a mixed system. Furthermore, the lower male reproductive capacity of the selfed individuals has been maintained over time. Our study also demonstrates the importance of studying the ID value throughout the life cycle of plants.

Among the numerous factors that contribute to the success of social wasps, colony productivity is the most important and depends on ecological and environmental factors, such as the nest site. Consequently, nest-site choice should be determined by nest-site characteristics. The objective of this study was to determine on which species of plants Polistes gallicus wasps build their nests and identify the possible preferred features of plants used during nest-site selection by the foundress. From February to October 2017-2019 we recorded details of the nests in natural areas in south-western Spain (at 38? latitude). Nests of P. gallicus were recorded on 49 species of plants belonging to 23 families, with Scirpoides holoschoenus, Epilobium hirsutum and Foeniculum vulgare the most common. Significantly more wasps built their nests on herbaceous than on shrub and arboreal plants, and on "green" than "brown-grey" plants. Most of the nests were 21 to 189 cm above the ground, with a nest azimuth of about 102?. Nests were located at a mean distance of 43.51 ± 123.79 m from the nearest source of water. The length of the nesting season in the area studied was between 30 and 33 weeks, and more colonies were founded by a single foundress than several foundresses. Furthermore, a greater percentage of the single foundress colonies failed than of the multiple-foundress colonies.

Glyceria spicata subsp. onubensis (Gramineae), new taxon for the iberian floraPalabras claves: Glyceria, Gramineae, Península Ibérica, Taxonomía.Key words: Glyceria, Gramineae, Iberian Peninsula, Taxonomy.

Reproductive biology studies help us to understand how species’ reproductive characters contribute to reproductive success and thus population survival but cost considerable time and effort to conduct under field conditions. We investigated the reproductive system of natural populations of Scrophularia sambucifolia and S. grandiflora, two western Mediterranean endemics with large, colorful flowers that undergo mixed bird–insect pollination. We evaluated: (1) the importance of pollinators in the sexual reproduction of the two species, determining levels of fruit and seed set; (2) the species’ compatibility systems (self-compatible or self-incompatible); (3) the role of protogyny in their mating systems; and (4) the occurrence of unequal seed set along the inflorescence. A spontaneous self-pollination test demonstrated that floral protogyny minimizes autogamy and that pollinators are needed to ensure sexual reproduction. A hand-geitonogamous pollination test revealed that both species (especially S. grandiflora) are self-compatible and that the potential for geitonogamy extends throughout the flowering period but decreases as inflorescences age. Finally, seed set was similar in all whorls of the inflorescence of both species, possibly reflecting inflorescence architecture.

Peripheral populations (i.e., those occurring on the edge of a species’ distribution range) can have different origins and genetic characteristics, and they may be critical for the conservation of genetic diversity. We investigated European peripheral populations of Scrophularia arguta, a widespread, annual plant distributed from Arabia to Northwest Africa and Macaronesia. Only two small disjunct population groups of this species occur in Europe, specifically in West‐Central and Southeast Iberia. To disclose the origin of these populations and determine their importance for the conservation of S. arguta genetic diversity, we analyzed DNA sequences from two nuclear and two plastid regions and amplified fragment length polymorphism markers in populations sampled mainly across the western distribution range of the species, and modeled the species distribution under present and late Quaternary conditions. The analyses revealed the presence of three distinct lineages of S. arguta in Europe, as a result of multiple colonization waves at different times in the Quaternary. Two of these lineages, occurring in Southeast Iberia, are the result of more or less recent dispersal from Northwest Africa. In contrast, West‐Central Iberian populations are strongly differentiated from the remaining range of S. arguta and can be considered as peripheral relict populations. Our study is the first to demonstrate the occurrence of at least three colonizations of the European continent from Africa by a native plant species. The diverse histories and genetic makeup of the resulting populations confirm the importance of peripheral populations, and particularly of ancient relict populations, for the conservation of global genetic diversity in widespread species.