Friday March 13 Talk

[Esther McEvoy]

Friday, March 13, 7:30 to 8:30 pm *Note date change to Friday rather than our usual Monday
Presentation: Cryptic Lineages and Morphological Stasis in a Rare Genus of Mycoheterotrophic Plants
Presenter: Ash Gill, M.S.
Location: Cordley Hall Room 2602, Oregon State University or by Zoom (registration link below)

Join us for a presentation on an investigation of hidden genetic diversity and fungal host affiliations in Pityopus californicus.

Understanding the evolutionary processes leading to the formation of cryptic lineages is increasingly of interest as efforts continue to reconcile such lineages to established species concepts. Parasitic plants offer compelling case studies on this topic due to their severe morphological reductions and obligate reliance on other organisms for establishment and survival.

In our study, we examined Pityopus, a monotypic genus of mycoheterotrophic plants in Ericaceae that parasitize ectomycorrhizal fungi. Our goal was to investigate whether molecular divergence in this group is deserving of species-level recognition and whether lineage formation is related to the parasitic lifestyle. By integrating field samples with herbarium specimens, we assembled a representative dataset from across the range of this rare taxon for genomic and morphological analysis. Our findings reveal four discrete lineages of Pityopus in morphological stasis with range overlap, and a wider array of host affiliates than previously known. Due to the lack of clear diagnostic features, we fail to delimit any new species in Pityopus but acknowledge the presence of cryptic lineages of Pityopus . We also demonstrate the efficacy of DNA barcoding for lineage identification. This study provides an example of morphologically similar yet reproductively isolated cryptic lineages that persist in sympatry.

To attend by Zoom, register in advance for this meeting here:
https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/1ACjMfLRRIqZBBwb8OsoVw