Oreomecon is a genus in the poppy family Papaveraceae.[1] It was established in 2022 for what was previously treated as Papaver sect. Meconella in order to ensure that the genus Papaver was monophyletic.[2]
Molecular phylogenetic studies of the genus Papaver from 1997 onwards showed that as then circumscribed, the genus was not monophyletic. Three clades could be distinguished within the original circumscription of Papaver: Papaver sensu stricto, Papaver sect. Meconella, and a combination of Papaver sect. Argemonidium and Roemeria. Meconopsis (excluding Meconopsis cambrica) made up a fourth clade, embedded within the original circumscription of Papaver.[2] A 2006 study suggest the four clades were related as shown in the following cladogram:[3]
Subsequently, Meconopsis cambrica and Stylomecon were transferred to Papaver,[4][5] and Roemeria expanded to include Papaver sect. Argemonidium. In 2022, the genus Oreomecon was established and some better known and understood species present in Europe, either natives or alien, were transferred to that genus.[2][6]
Papaver sect. Meconella could not be raised to the rank of genus under the name Meconella because MeconellaNutt. was already used for a group of American species of poppies, hence a new name was required. Oreomecon is derived fromAncient Greekὄρος (oros)'mountain'andμήκων (mēcōn)'poppy',[2] hence 'mountain poppy'.
Species
Sources differ in number of species placed in Papaver sect. Meconella (and thus open to transfer to Oreomecon). In 2006, a range of 24 to 30 species was suggested.[2] The Papaver alpinum group has been treated particularly variably, with one to seven or more species accepted, along with numerous subspecies. A 2009 study concluded that "most previous taxonomic concepts of P.alpinum s.l. were highly artificial" and recognized only one species, with possibly two subspecies.[7]
123456Banfi, Enrico; Bartolucci, Fabrizio; Tison, Jean-Marc & Galasso, Gabriele (2022), "A new genus for Papaver sect. Meconella and new combinations in Roemeria (Papaveraceae) in Europe and the Mediterranean area", Natural History Sciences, 9 (1): 67–72, doi:10.4081/nhs.2022.556
↑Carolan, James C.; Hook, Ingrid L.I.; Chase, Mark W.; Kadereit, Joachim W. & Hodkinson, Trevor R. (2006), "Phylogenetics of Papaver and Related Genera Based on DNA Sequences from ITS Nuclear Ribosomal DNA and Plastid trnL Intron and trnL–F Intergenic Spacers", Annals of Botany, 98 (1): 141–155, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl079, PMC2803553, PMID16675606
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