Phylogeographic evidence reveals multiple colonization events and a secondary contact zone in the Balkans for the Anthriscus sylvestris complex (Apiaceae)

The Anthriscus sylvestris complex (Apiaceae) exhibits a wide ecological and geographical diversity around the Mediterranean and in Central Europe. This study aims to explore its historical biogeography. Network and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the variation in two nuclear markers (nrDNA ITS and waxy intron) and three plastid markers (rpoB–trnC, trnS–trnG, and psbA–trnH intergenic spacers) assessed for 296 accessions. Nuclear and plastid markers disagreed with each other and with the current taxonomy of the complex. Two ribogroups, Nit and Syl, were apparent, with the former encompassing mountainous taxa from the Balkan Peninsula and Central Europe and the latter uniting remaining accessions. Plastid data suggested a Middle Eastern origin of the complex, with migration to Europe around the Mediterranean through the Iberian Peninsula, and a secondary contact with another migration wave in the Balkans. However, a scenario with two migration waves to Europe through the Balkans cannot be excluded. Waxy data distinguished a more detailed geographical and ecological pattern. The estimated age of the A. sylvestris complex based on the plastid data was 1.72 Ma, whereas the divergence within the European group began approximately 0.44 Ma.