Contrasting evolutionary patterns and historical hybridization of Anthosachne

Polyploidization and apomixis contribute to taxonomic complexity in Anthosachne, a perennial genus native to Australia in the wheat tribe. Sha et al. performed a phylogenetic analysis to explore differentiation patterns of polyploidy amongst Australasian wheat relatives.

Chloroplast rbcL and trnH-psbA and nuclear Acc1 gene sequences of 60 Anthosachne taxa and 9 Roegneria species were analyzed with those of 33 diploid taxa representing 20 basic genomes in Triticeae. Anthosachne is shown to have originated as a result of historical hybridization between Australopyrum and Roegneria species. Greater diversity in island Anthosachne compared to continental Roegneria might correlate with genetic mutation, polyploidization, apomixes and expansion.