Karyotype evolution supports the molecular phylogeny in the genus Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae)

Karyotype evolution can be reconstructed by the characterization of chromosome morphology, based on the position of centromeres. Different karyotypes often reflect speciation events within phylogenies as they can establish crossing barriers between species. Hence, evolution of karyotypes often is congruent with splits and differentiation of clades within phylogenies of angiosperm genera. Here we study karyotype evolution in the big cosmopolitan genus Ranunculus and in related genera to test the hypothesis that karyotypes are congruent with major clades. We investigated karyotypes on mitoses of 36 species, evaluated literature records for additional 87 species, and reconstructed ancestral states by mapping karyotypes onto a published molecular phylogenetic tree. Altogether ten karyotypes can be discriminated as character states, eight based on the base number x = 8, and two on the base number x = 7. The ancestral type within Ranunculus is characterized by four metacentric and four submetacentric/subtelocentric chromosomes, and dominates in five major basal clades of Ranunculus (R. subg. Auricomus) and in four of the related genera (Coptidium, Halerpestes, Kumlienia, and Trautvetteria). Another four karyotypes are ancestral and predominant in two major clades within Ranunculus (R. subg. Ranunculus), while three further ones occur only on terminal branches of the buttercup phylogeny. Among related genera, Ficaria and Ceratocephala also show derived karyotypes. Karyotype morphology thus supports generic and infrageneric classifications based on molecular and morphological data. Karyotype evolution drives in general to increasing number of chromosomes with asymmetric arms, and to a reduction from x = 8 to x = 7 chromosomes. A review of interspecific homoploid hybridization in sympatric species, and of crossing experiments suggests enhanced crossability of species with the same karyotype and strong crossing barriers between those with different karyotypes. We conclude that karyotype evolution is a major driver of speciation and differentiation of clades within Ranunculus.