New light on phylogeny and taxonomy of the Eurasian Gagea villosa-G. fragifera complex (Liliaceae)

The typification of the name Gagea brentae Evers (a lectotype in GZU is designated here) and studies of living topotype material, led us to conclude that G. brentae is a full synonym of G. fragifera, sharing morphological, karyological (2n=84) and molecular (ITS region, trnLtrnF IGS, psbAtrnH IGS) features with the latter species. Gagea fragifera, as newly circumscribed here, shows a close relationship with G. villosa (M. Bieb.) Sweet and, above all, with G. glacialis K. Koch (possibly a hybridogenous taxon). In short, our new morphological and molecular data provide new evidence for hybridization and introgression between the closely related G. villosa and G. fragifera (both in G. sect. Didymobulbos).