Abstract
• Sympatric, host-driven divergence in parasitic plants has rarely been explored. • Co-occurring host-specific races of Cytinus, an endophytic holoparasite, differ in flowering time, reproductive output, floral biometry and rewards. • Host races are interfertile yet appear to remain genetically isolated by restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressures. • Host-driven sympatric diversification challenges our application of species concepts to cryptic parasitic plant races. Host specificity is a key factor influencing the ecology and evolutionary diversification of parasitic organisms. Host specialisation and geographic isolation are known to lead to the genetic differentiation of allopatric races in parasitic plants. However, how divergence can co-occur in sympatry remains largely unknown. We investigated phenological and phenotypic differentiation and potential reproductive isolation among three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae) - an extreme endophytic holoparasite with a high degree of host specialisation. We compared spatio-temporal variations in flowering phenology, flower production, floral longevity, floral rewards, and morphology, and conducted inter-race pollinations among three races parasitising Cistus ladanifer, C. salviifolius , and Halimium halimifolium (Cistaceae) in six co-occurring populations. We found that host-defined genetic races differed significantly across multiple phenotypic and phenological aspects – a phenomenon previously overlooked due to the plants’ cryptic morphology. The race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming, higher floral display, longer flowers, and higher pollen production and nectar concentration; the race on C. salviifolius showed later flowering, significantly lower floral display and smaller flowers with lower floral rewards; the race on C. ladanifer had intermediate characteristics. Genetic races were interfertile yet may remain differentiated by restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressures. Together, our data point to a rare case of sympatric divergent evolution hiding in plain sight: apparently morphologically similar co-occurring parasite races can be genetically, phenotypically, and phenologically distinct. This hitherto unreported example of host-driven sympatric diversification challenges how species concepts are applied to cryptic parasitic plant races.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistis
Cytinus hypocistise0 - Material
- race parasitising H. halimifoliume1
- Interactor
- H. halimifolium
Halimium halimifoliume1host - Outcome
- bloominge1
- Direction
- earliere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e1“The race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming, higher floral display, longer flowers, and higher pollen production and nectar concentration”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race parasitising H. halimifolium had higher floral display.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- race parasitising H. halimifoliume1
- Interactor
- H. halimifoliumHalimium halimifoliume1host
- Outcome
- floral displaye1
- Direction
- highere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e1“The race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming, higher floral display, longer flowers, and higher pollen production and nectar concentration”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race parasitising H. halimifolium had longer flowers.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- race parasitising H. halimifoliume1
- Interactor
- H. halimifoliumHalimium halimifoliume1host
- Outcome
- flowerse1
- Direction
- longere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e1“The race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming, higher floral display, longer flowers, and higher pollen production and nectar concentration”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race parasitising H. halimifolium had higher pollen production and nectar concentration.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- race parasitising H. halimifoliume1
- Interactor
- H. halimifoliumHalimium halimifoliume1host
- Outcome
- pollen production and nectar concentratione1
- Direction
- highere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e1“The race parasitising H. halimifolium showed earlier blooming, higher floral display, longer flowers, and higher pollen production and nectar concentration”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race on C. salviifolius flowered later.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- the race on C. salviifoliuse2
- Interactor
- C. salviifolius
Cistus salviifoliuse2host - Outcome
- floweringe2
- Direction
- latere2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e2“the race on C. salviifolius showed later flowering, significantly lower floral display and smaller flowers with lower floral rewards”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race on C. salviifolius had significantly lower floral display.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- the race on C. salviifoliuse2
- Interactor
- C. salviifoliusCistus salviifoliuse2host
- Outcome
- floral displaye2
- Direction
- lowere2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e2“the race on C. salviifolius showed later flowering, significantly lower floral display and smaller flowers with lower floral rewards”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race on C. salviifolius had smaller flowers.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- the race on C. salviifoliuse2
- Interactor
- C. salviifoliusCistus salviifoliuse2host
- Outcome
- flowerse2
- Direction
- smallere2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e2“the race on C. salviifolius showed later flowering, significantly lower floral display and smaller flowers with lower floral rewards”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race on C. salviifolius had lower floral rewards.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- the race on C. salviifoliuse2
- Interactor
- C. salviifoliusCistus salviifoliuse2host
- Outcome
- floral rewardse2
- Direction
- lowere2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e2“the race on C. salviifolius showed later flowering, significantly lower floral display and smaller flowers with lower floral rewards”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus race on C. ladanifer had intermediate characteristics.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- the race on C. ladanifere3
- Interactor
- C. ladanifer
Cistus ladanifere3host - Outcome
- characteristicse3
- Direction
- intermediatee3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e3“the race on C. ladanifer had intermediate characteristics”
Claim · model-written summary
Genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis were interfertile.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Outcome
- interfertilee4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e4“Genetic races were interfertile yet may remain differentiated by restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressures”
Claim · model-written summary
The Cytinus races may remain differentiated by restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressures.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Outcome
- remain differentiatede4
- Qualifier
- restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressurese4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e4“Genetic races were interfertile yet may remain differentiated by restricted gene flow and host-driven selection pressures”
Claim · model-written summary
Host-defined genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis differed significantly in phenotypic and phenological aspects.
- Taxon
- Cytinus hypocistisCytinus hypocistise0
- Material
- host-defined genetic racese5
- Outcome
- phenotypic and phenological aspectse5
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“three sympatric genetic races of Cytinus hypocistis (Cytinaceae)”
e5“host-defined genetic races differed significantly across multiple phenotypic and phenological aspects”