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Phylogenomic conflict and reticulate evolution during radiative diversification of the genus Rheum
Haohong Yang1,2, Lushui Zhang3, Yingying Zhu4
1State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Annals of Botany
|June 26, 2026
Summary
The study reveals that key traits in Rheum (rhubarb) evolved multiple times independently, driven by ecological adaptation and complex evolutionary processes like hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Sciences
- Genomics
Background:
- Mountainous ecosystems harbor diverse plant lineages undergoing rapid radiation.
- The alpine genus Rheum (rhubarb) exhibits significant variation in growth forms and bracts, making it ideal for studying evolutionary diversification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary mechanisms behind the morphological diversity in the genus Rheum.
- To understand the roles of incomplete lineage sorting, hybridization, and ecological adaptation in plant evolution.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenomic analysis using transcriptome data from 64 samples across 31 Rheum species.
- Reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships, network analyses, and ancestral state reconstruction of morphological traits.
Main Results:
- Cytonuclear discordance in Rheum indicates significant historical hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting.
- Multiple independent origins of dwarfism and specialized bracts suggest pervasive convergent evolution.
- Environmental stresses likely drove the recurrent emergence of these traits through ecological adaptation.
Conclusions:
- Key morphological traits in Rheum show repeated independent origins, influenced by incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization.
- Convergent evolution of phenotypic traits is linked to ecological adaptation in Rheum's rapid radiation.
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