The wide but disjunct range of the European mountain plant Androsace lactea L. (Primulaceae) reflects Late Pleistocene range fragmentation and post‐glacial distributional stasis

摘要: Aim  Our aim was to reconstruct the spatio-temporal genetic diversification of Androsace lactea, a widely but disjunctly distributed European mountain plant, test hypothesis that its distribution is result vicariance, in late Tertiary or during Pleistocene, alternatively long-distance dispersal. We also addressed phylogeographic history Alps, emphasizing role Pleistocene refugia at their northern margin. Location  The central and southern ranges. Methods  gathered amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) data plastid DNA sequences from one four individuals each 26 populations spanning entire area. AFLP were analysed with Bayesian clustering approaches, neighbour-joining analysis NeighbourNet. Plastid used depict relationships among haplotypes statistical parsimony network, for population expansions, obtain age estimates framework. Results  suggested many genetically strongly differentiated. internal structure, however, weak, only two major groups populations, north-western Alps adjacent regions easternmost supported analysis. One approaches differentiated three populations: Northern remaining Eleven closely related found, separated by maximally mutational steps, resulting star-like network. None several estimators statistically significant expansions. inferred be (mean/median) 0.135/0.08 Ma (95% highest posterior density interval 0.364–0.006 Ma). Main conclusions  found no evidence dispersal shaped disjunct range; our rather favoured vicariance scenario. However, contrast wide distributions are old, we conclude range fragmentation probably happened Late perhaps last glaciation. In most least close formerly unglaciated areas. support distributional stasis suggest important situated north-eastern, edges thereby strengthening glacial this glaciated region.