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] As of June 2023, names in the genus Oreomecon had only been published for better known and phylogenetically understood species present in Europe, either as natives or aliens.[2][3]

Oreomecon
Oreomecon alpina, syn. Papaver alpinum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Papaveraceae
Subfamily: Papaveroideae
Tribe: Papavereae
Genus: Oreomecon
Banfi, Bartolucci, J.-M.Tison & Galasso[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Papaver sect. Meconella Spach
  • Papaver sect. Lasiotrachyphylla (Bernh.) Pfeiff.

Taxonomy

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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:[4]

Papaver sect. Argemonidium + Roemeria (→ Roemeria)

Papaver sect. Meconella (→ Oreomecon)

Meconopsis

Papaver sensu stricto, including Meconopsis cambrica and Stylomecon

Subsequently, Meconopsis cambrica and Stylomecon were transferred to Papaver,[5][6] 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][3]

Papaver sect. Meconella could not be raised to the rank of genus under the name Meconella because Meconella Nutt. was already used for a group of American species of poppies, hence a new name was required. Oreomecon is derived from Ancient Greek ὄρος (oros) 'mountain' and μήκων (mēcōn) 'poppy',[2] hence 'mountain poppy'.

Species

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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]

As of June 2023, Plants of the World Online (PoWO) listed in Oreomecon only the six species transferred in 2022:[1]

As of June 2023, the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) listed 11 species in Papaver sect. Meconella, of which the following are additional to those listed above:[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Oreomecon Banfi, Bartolucci, J.-M.Tison & Galasso", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2023-06-05
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Banfi, 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
  3. ^ a b "Papaveraceae - Tribe Papaverae", World Flora Online, retrieved 2023-06-05
  4. ^ 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, PMC 2803553, PMID 16675606
  5. ^ "Meconopsis cambrica (L.) Vig.", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2023-06-06
  6. ^ "Stylomecon G.Taylor", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2023-06-06
  7. ^ Schönswetter, Peter; Solstad, Heidi; Escobar García, Pedro & Elven, Reidar (2009), "A combined Molecular and Morphological Approach to the Taxonomically Intricate European Mountain Plant Papaver alpinum s.l. (Papaveraceae) — Taxa or Informal Phylogeographical Groups?", Taxon, 58 (4): 1326–1343, doi:10.1002/tax.584020, JSTOR 27757020
  8. ^ "Species of Papaver L. sect. Meconella", Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), retrieved 2023-06-06
  9. ^ "Papaver aurantiacum Loisel.", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2023-06-06
  10. ^ "Papaver lapeyrouseanum Gutermann ex Greuter & Burdet", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2023-06-06