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Building a robust backbone for Astragalus using a clade-specific target enrichment bait set
Daniele Buono1, Gudrun Kadereit1,2, Aaron Liston3
1Prinzessin Therese von Bayern-Lehrstuhl für Systematik, Biodiversität und Evolution der Pflanzen, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
American Journal of Botany
|August 19, 2025
Summary
This study reconstructs the backbone phylogeny of the plant genus Astragalus (Fabaceae) using herbarium specimens. The analysis reinforces existing phylogenies and reveals insights into cytonuclear conflicts, suggesting reticulate evolution.
Area of Science:
- Botany
- Plant Systematics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is the largest genus of flowering plants, with over 3100 species and high diversification rates.
- Despite existing taxonomic treatments, a comprehensive and well-resolved phylogeny for the genus is still lacking.
- Understanding the evolutionary history of Astragalus is crucial for explaining its rapid diversification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct the backbone phylogeny of the Astragalus genus.
- To investigate cytonuclear phylogenetic conflicts within Astragalus.
- To provide a foundation for future studies on the diversification of Astragalus.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a custom bait set for target enrichment, capturing 819 loci in the Astragalean clade.
- Selected 107 taxa representing major clades, with 80 newly sequenced from herbarium specimens up to 110 years old.
- Retrieved targeted loci and off-target plastome sequences from all samples, including ancient herbarium material.
Main Results:
- Reinforced the accepted backbone phylogeny of Astragalus with high support and novel details.
- Provided insights into cytonuclear phylogenetic conflicts within the genus.
- Identified evidence for potential reticulate evolution, explaining observed conflicts.
Conclusions:
- This herbarium-based phylogeny is a significant advancement for understanding Astragalus evolution.
- The findings lay the groundwork for investigating the drivers of Astragalus' rapid diversification.
- This research has broad implications for understanding plant diversification in natural contexts.
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