Daniel Jeanmonod

Silene patula (Siphonomorpha, Caryophyllaceae) in North Africa: A test of colonisation routes using chloroplast markers

Based on morphological characters, the North African Silene patula has been divided into two subspecies, ssp. patula found North of Kabylies and Atlas Mountains, and ssp. amurensis found south of these regions. In order to test the hypothesis that S. patula could have derived from S. italica through the Sicilian Channel during the Messinian, we sequenced three chloroplast loci, trnH-psbA, trnS-trnG and rpl12-rps20. Fifteen haplotypes were found on 211 herbarium specimens, associated with a huge differentiation within species. The hypothesis that S. patula had independently evolved as two different subspecies North and South of the mountains is refuted and a morphological adaptation to different pollinators is suggested to explain the differences between the two taxa. The Kabylies-Numidie-Kroumirie gathers a large proportion of haplotypes, which points to this region as a probable refugium or place of origin from which spatial expansions have subsequently occurred towards Morocco and the Aurès Mountains.

Floristic Analyses of the Corsican Flora: Biogeographical Origin and Endemism

Abstract Jeanmonod, D., Y. Naciri, A. Schlüssel & J. Gamisans (2015). Floristic analyses of the Corsican flora: biogeographical origin and endemism. Candollea 70: 21–41. In English. English and French abstracts. This article discusses various aspects of the biogeographical origin and endemism of the Corsican flora based on data retrieved from “Flora Corsica” project. It focuses on species richness, taxonomy, life forms, taxa abundance, distribution in vegetation belts, habitats and substrate types. The results are compared to other geographic regions, particularly Mediterranean ones. These data show that in Corsica the species of Mediterranean origin are slightly more numerous than those of Holarctic origin. It is surprising that the Holarctic elements start to dominate at low altitude in the supramediterranean belt. The endemic flora (12.7%) shows distribution patterns often distinct from those of the non-endemic native flora, particularly regarding taxonomy, biological types and altitudinal distributions. The rates of hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes are for instance higher for the former compared to the latter while it is the reverse for therophytes. These rates are quite similar to those recorded in Sardinia, but rather different from those of other Mediterranean islands. More unexpected is the abundance pattern of endemic species which is quite similar to that of non-endemic ones. However, strictly endemic Corsican species are generally rarer than subendemics. The number of endemic species increases from the coast to the montane belt and then decreases in the upper belts. The percentage of endemic species, meanwhile, regularly increases from the thermomediterranean belt to the alpine one where it reachs a maximum of 43.1%. The endemic flora also shows a wider altitudinal spectrum than other native species. The distribution of endemic species in the different Corsican habitats is slightly different from the one recorded for the indigeneous taxa. Endemics are however preferentially found in rocky habitats, but without any preference for a particular substrate. In the endemic flora, the Mediterranean origin is predominant but this trend is more marked in subendemics. The strict Corsican endemics have a mostly Holarctic origin and are more often found at high altitudes. These results shed light on the specificity of the Corsican endemic flora and should help the management of endemic species.

Molecular diversity, phylogeography and genetic relationships of the Silene paradoxa group of section Siphonomorpha (Caryophyllaceae)

We investigate the genetic diversity and demographic patterns of the Silene paradoxa group from section Siphonomorpha, which includes the three species S. paradoxa, S. fruticosa and S. aristidis. Eight additional taxa, belonging to the same section, were also included in this study for comparative purposes: S. nutans, S. viridiflora and six species of the italica complex. The nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the two chloroplast spacers trnH–psbA and trnS–trnG show that the paradoxa group constitutes a separate genetic lineage within section Siphonomorpha and includes three well-differentiated species, characterized by different levels of genetic diversity and demographic histories. All three species showed specific haplotypes and ITS variants, intraspecific variation and contrasting demographic histories. S. paradoxa probably followed a demographic expansion scenario, whereas S. fruticosa and S. aristidis most likely went through spatial expansions in the past. Chasmophyte species and species from open rocky habitats are found in both the paradoxa group and the italica complex, suggesting that the switch between the chasmophytic and open habitats occurred at least twice in the Siphonomorpha section.

Floristic analyses of the Corsican flora: distribution in ecological compartments (vegetation belts, habitats and substrates)

Abstract Schlüssel, A., D. Jeanmonod & J. Gamisans (2014). Floristic analyses of the Corsican flora: distribution in ecological compartments (vegetation belts, habitats and substrates). Candollea 69: 25-43. In English, English and French abstracts. This article analyzes partial data published in the “Flora Corsica” in order to characterize the Corsican vascular flora. These analyses focus on different aspects of the flora such as species richness, taxonomic distribution, abundance and life-forms at different vegetation belts, habitats and substrates. The results are compared with other geographic regions, particularly from the European Mediterranean and adjacent areas. The decrease of species richness with an increase of altitude as well as the sharp decrease of Fabaceae has been confirmed. Regarding the biological spectrum, the decrease of the therophytes with an increase of altitude is obvious and compensated by the increase of the hemicryptophytes. On Corsica several peculiarities have been highlighted in the different ecological compartments: 1. the littoral and the cryo-oromediterranean belts appear to be very different from the others in many features; 2. the rocky habitats are shown to be especially important for the diversity of families such as Poaceae and Caryophyllaceae; 3. calcareous areas are shown to be extremely important for the alpha diversity as well as for the restricted range taxa. Finally, the specificity of the flora growing on the ultramafic outcrops is confirmed and emphazised.

Morphological analysis of the Silene gigantea complex (Caryophyllaceae) across the Balkan Peninsula, south-western Turkey and Cyprus

We investigated the morphology of the Silene gigantea complex across its distribution range in the Balkan Peninsula, south-western Turkey and Cyprus. We performed a factorial analysis for mixed quantitative and qualitative variables followed by k-means analyses to determine the most probable morphological clustering within the species. A linear discriminant analysis was then computed using the DISQUAL method to test the a priori classification. The results indicate that three entities, which are consistent with the previously published taxonomic treatment, can be recognised. Moreover, our results show that the distribution of S. gigantea subsp. hellenica can be extended to Turkey, and that S. gigantea subsp. rhodopea is actually absent from this country, in contradiction to previous assessments. The global distribution of the S. gigantea complex is established and the morphological characteristics of each subspecies are discussed.

Lectotypification of Three Species of Silene sect. Italicae (Rohrb.) Schischk. (Caryophyllaceae)

Abstract Du Pasquier, P.-E. & D. Jeanmonod (2016). Lectotypification of three species of Silene sect. Italicae (Rohrb.) Schischk. (Caryophyllaceae). Candollea 71: 19–22. In English, English and French abstracts. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.15553/c2016v711a4 Lectotypes are designated in Boissiers Flora Orientalis herbarium for Silene astartes C.I. Blanche ex Boiss., Silene galataea Boiss. and Silenea splendens Boiss., three species belonging to Silene sect. Italicae (Rohrb.) Schischk. (Caryophyllaceae). An authorship ambiguity about Silene astartes is also resolved.

Analyse D'ouvrage

Apres notamment l’Atlas des plantes rares ou protegees des Hautes-Alpes et l’ouvrage Le Var et sa flore: plantes rares ou protegees, les publications Naturalia font paraitre ce nouvel ouvrage aussi magnifique que les precedents. Il s’agit par ailleurs du 3e volume qui parait dans la Collection «Conservatoires botaniques nationaux alpin et mediterraneens», les deux directeurs de l’ouvrage, Virgile Noble et Katia Adema, etant deux membres eminents des Conservatoires botaniques nationaux en l’occurrence de celui de Porquerolles. Cet ouvrage se focalise, comme son sous-titre l’indique, sur les aspects originaux de la flore de cette region. Outre les deux directeurs de l’ouvrage, une quinzaine de contributeurs y ont participes. La premiere partie introduit les Alpes-maritimes au travers de l’histoire de la botanique, de la mise en place de la flore, du cadre physique, de la place et l’originalite de la flore et enfin de la vegetation des Alpes-maritimes. Richement illustree en reproductions, photos, schemas et cartes, cette partie introductive de 75 pages est a la fois fouillee et agreable a lire. Les auteurs mettent bien en evidence le carrefour et le refuge que cette region represente, ce qui explique l’etonnante richesse de sa biodiversite vegetale. La flore mediterraneenne y est fortement presente aux etages inferieurs, avec d’ailleurs la presence d’un etage thermomediterraneen qui ne se developpe, en France continentale, que dans ce departement. La flore alpine y est egalement tres marquee puisque 53% des taxons de Flora Alpina y sont presents. La seconde partie de l’ouvrage, de loin la plus importante (360 p.) est dediee a la flore proprement dite. Celle-ci est riche, comme le rappellent les auteurs, de quelques 3800 taxons qu’il est certes impossible de presenter dans le detail. Ce n’est d’ailleurs pas le propos de l’ouvrage qui vise a presenter uniquement les especes originales. Meme en se restreignant ainsi, le choix n’est pas aise et les auteurs ont fait celui de presenter 240 taxons de facon tres detaillee sur deux pleines pages (pour les endemiques) ou sur une page (pour les especes dites «remarquables»). Ce choix les amene a privilegier les plantes rares et menacees mais aussi les especes caracteristiques et emblematiques de certains milieux. Les endemiques sont a interpreter au sens plus ou moins large allant des secteurs de la Provence a l’ouest au Prealpes de Savoie au nord et aux Apennins a l’Est. La presentation de chaque taxon est classique, en 23 points, que l’on peut regrouper en description generale, aire de repartition , ecologie et conservation. Outre les illustrations nombreuses et fort belles, on remarquera la qualite des cartes de repartition par points (maillage de 2 km) pour les Alpes-maritimes et par aire pour l’ensemble de la dition. Ces deux cartes sont accompagnees de pictogrammes pour illustrer la presence sur les etages de vegetations et les principales menaces. Comme pour l’ouvrage sur le Var (Le Var et sa flore: plantes rares ou protegees), l’aspect conservatoire est en effet bien developpe, non seulement pour chacune des especes presentees mais egalement par le dernier chapitre de l’ouvrage qui traite specifiquement des enjeux sur le territoire, des principaux acteurs de la Conservation ainsi que des outils disponibles. On peut s’interroger sur l’utilite de cet ouvrage apres la publication du Memento de la flore protegee des Alpes-Maritimes de Salanon, Kulesza et Offerhaus paru en 2010 (Office National des forets, ed. du Cabri). Bien qu’il fasse en partie double emploi puisque 2/3 des especes sont communes aux deux ouvrages, cette nouvelle publication complete de fait la precedente. En effet le but initial n’est pas identique puisque le propos de cette flore est de presenter l’originalite de la flore et pas uniquement les plantes protegees. Par ailleurs de nouvelles rubriques sont ajoutees comme l’ecologie, les cartes de repartition et divers complements, ou completees comme les aspects de conservation. Enfin les chapitres generaux au debut ou en fin d’ouvrage sont extremement precieux. Le chapitre intitule «Conservation et enjeux» montre des analyses originales avec les repartitions spatiales des divers types de