Sammendrag
In plants, hybridization between interspecific taxa leading to chromosome doubling seems to
happen regularly and may be an important driver of speciation. Allopolyploid species often have
morphological traits from both parents, broader ecological niches, and are hypothesized to be more
common going northwards. About 20% of all Sphagnum species have been inferred to be allopolyploids.
Here we describe the first allotriploid Sphagnum species in the northern hemisphere, using molecular
data, Feulgen densitometry, and morphological examination. Our molecular data also supports the
finding of the first polyploid species with inter-subgeneric origin between Acutifolia and Subsecunda.
Morphological examination further supports this finding. The Acutifolia progenitor is likely the maternal
parent of the new species, named S. 3lydiae, and it is probably S. incundum, S. 3arcticum or S. 3olafii.
The Subsecunda parent could not be identified based on molecular and morphological characters. The
currently known distribution of S. 3lydiae is confined to regions with arctic and subarctic climate and
tundra vegetation in northern Russia.
Bryophyte evolution, northeastern Russia, speciation, integrative taxonomy, hybridization,
molecular methods.
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