Origin and diversification of flax and their relationship with heterostyly across the range

Aim Understanding plant diversity and how different traits have shaped the current biodiversity setting across world is one of major challenges for evolutionary biology. In this sense, genus Linum been broadly studied as a model species showing heterostyly, but no studies attempted to investigate possible correlations between heterostyly diversification. Thus, in study we aim explore origin diversification determine its centre potential source colonisation other areas. Also, may rates patterns genus. Location Worldwide (focused on Western Palearctic). Taxon Genus L. (Linaceae). Methods We analysed nuclear ITS plastid ndhF, matK trnL-F DNA regions total 103 samples 93 Linum, well seven from Linaceae. performed divergence time analysis BEAST2 under birth-death tree model, then used resulting an ancestral area reconstruction using R package “BioGeoBEARS.” Finally, estimated BAMM examined correlation geographic ranges heterostyly. Results s.l. diverged during late Eocene mid Oligocene (27.2–38.29 Ma at 95% highest posterior density interval) Palearctic, where most diversified. Within-area speciation main mechanism Most dispersal events occurred Palearctic regions, probably through long-distance (LDD). No changes were found regarding specific clades or relation with reproductive system (heterostyly) Colonisation new areas was achieved mostly by monomorphic lineages, whereas heterostylous remained Paleartic area. Main conclusions The acted out nine never sink. All lineages that colonised after LDD style length, predicted theory colonising species. shown affect establishment success Neither biogeographic nor trait can explain extinction Linum. Our results confirm evolution related paleogeographic history are not consistent idea key innovation “dispersification” has