Artemisia (Asteraceae): Understanding its evolution using cytogenetic and molecular systematic tools, with emphasis on subgenus Dracunculus

Abstract

The genus Artemisia is one of the largest of the Asteraceae family, with more than 500 species. It is widely distributed mainly across the Northern Hemisphere, being profusely represented in the Old World, with a great centre of diversification in Asia, and also reaching the New World. The evolution of this genus has been deeply studied using different approaches, and polyploidy has been found to perform an important role leading to speciation processes. Karyological, molecular cytogenetic and phylogenetic data have been compiled in the present review to provide a genomic characterization throughout some complexes within the genus.