The European species of Ribes subg. Ribes: population genetic testing of classical systematics

According to current directories, the European subgenus Ribes subg. Ribes includes 4 species: R. rubrum, R. petraeum, R. spicatum and R. multiflorum. This taxonomy was inferred from morphology. In this study, the hypothesis that these four species exist within the subgenus was tested by population genetic methods. Microsatellite analysis was used to evaluate 118 wild-collected clones from 8 regions of Europe. In total, 263 alleles were detected. The results of cluster analysis and the analysis of population structure supported the classical placement of these 4 species previously determined by morphological systematics. The highest levels of infraspecific genetic diversity were found in R. petraeum and R. spicatum. Initial differentiation was identified between clones of R. petraeum originating from the Giant Mountains and others from the High Tatras. An even higher degree of differentiation was found between R. spicatum collected in Sweden and specimens from Scotland. At the supraspecific level, the tested species formed two clusters. R. petraeum and R. multiflorum constitute a group of European mountain red currants. The habitat typical for the second cluster, involving R. spicatum and R. rubrum, is mainly alluvial plain in the North Atlantic area. These results represent a sound basis for further taxonomy of red currant infraspecific taxa, nothotaxa and cultivars.