Evolution, biogeography and genetic diversity in Veronica alpina L. and related taxa

Abstract

The Veronica alpina complex comprises about seven taxa of alpine to subalpine
species typical of moist mountain meadows with a short growth period
over a wide range of mountains in the Northern hemisphere. Their distribution
has been highly influenced by glaciation history. As such, the complex has been
chosen to investigate the effect of the ice age on distribution and genetic diversity in a circumpolar arctic-alpine group. The V. alpina complex offers the opportunity to compare genetic diversity in closely related species in North America, with mountains mainly running north-south, and Europe, with mountains mainly running east-west, thus blocking the north-south movement of species in front of the ice sheet. Therefore, it is hypothesised that the North American species retained more genetic diversity and depended less on refugia than their European counterparts.