Portulaca Oleracea Complex: The Main Trends Of Study

Abstract

Within the Portulaca oleracea complex a number of taxa was distinguished, sometimes they are being considered as subspecies, varieties, microspecies or morphotypes. To date, 19 such taxa have been described within the Portulaca oleracea complex. The most widespread taxa of this complex in Europe are P. granulatostellulata, P. papillatostellulata and P. trituberculata. The highest taxonomic diversity of the complex, with 11 taxa, was recorded in Ukraine and Romania. It was found that several taxa can exist in one site at the same time, e.g. their highest number was found in Romania: P. daninii, P. macrantha, P. rausii, P. sardoa, P. trituberculata. Current directions of research are: development of methodological approaches for studying the structure of intraspecific taxa; inventory of intraspecific diversity of the complex in different regions; reconstruction of the ways of entry and identification of geographical and ecological peculiarities of spreading of taxa, etc.