Pollinator-driven evolution of floral traits is thought to be a major driver of angiosperm speciation and diversification. Ophrys orchids mimic female insects to lure male pollinators into pseudocopulation. This strategy, called sexual deception, is species-specific, thereby providing strong premating reproductive isolation. Identifying the genomic architecture underlying pollinator adaptation and speciation may shed light on the mechanisms of angiosperm diversification. Here, we report the 5.2 Gb chromosome-scale genome sequence of Ophrys sphegodes. We find evidence for transposable element expansion that preceded the radiation of the O. sphegodes group, and for gene duplication having contributed to the evolution of chemical mimicry. We report a highly differentiated genomic candidate region for pollinator-mediated evolution on chromosome 2. The Ophrys genome will prove useful for investigations into the repeated evolution of sexual deception, pollinator adaptation and the genomic architectures that facilitate evolutionary radiations.

Several past and recent climatic and geological events have greatly influenced the current distribution of coastal species around the Mediterranean Basin. As a consequence, the reconstruction of the distributional history of these species is challenging. In this study, we used both chloroplast and nuclear SNPs to assess the levels of genetic differentiation, contemporary/historical levels of gene flow, and demographic history for the three only known (one mainland and two insular) populations of Eokochia saxicola, a rare Mediterranean coastal rocky halophyte. Plastid genome analysis revealed very low intraspecific haplotype variation and partial admixture among Capri and Palinuro populations with at least two independent colonization events for the Strombolicchio islet. Nuclear SNPs variation consistently identified three distinct genetic clusters corresponding to our sampling localities. Furthermore, strong genetic isolation was confirmed by both historical and contemporary levels of migration among the three populations. The DIYABC analysis identified two introductions temporally separated from Palinuro to Capri (ca.25 Mya) and subsequently to Strombolicchio (ca.09 Mya) as the most likely hypothesis for the current distribution of E. saxicola. Regardless of their small population sizes, all study sites supported high-genetic diversity maintained by outcrossing and random mating between individuals owing largely to wind pollination, an exclusive trait among Mediterranean narrow endemics. In conclusion, the patterns observed confirm that some Mediterranean endemics are not necessarily “evolutionary dead-ends” but rather represent species that have extensive demographic stability and a strong evolutionary legacy.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a severe problem in the environment and produces detrimental effects on crop productivity and quality. Characterization of crop performance at different Cd concentrations is crucial to identify pollution-safe cultivars with low translocation efficiency to aboveground organs to be used for food safety. Here, we estimated germination, survival, growth, photosynthetic pigments, Cd bioaccumulation, among-organs translocation, and ionic balance in six Solanum melongena L. (eggplant) cultivars from the central Mediterranean basin. On two cultivars, we also analyzed expression of genes involved in Cd uptake, i.e., heavy metal ATPases (HMAs) and metal tolerance proteins (MTPs). We found that Cd has a negative effect on all the investigated parameters but with relevant among-cultivar differences. Cd-treated plants showed a decrease in germination rate and survival. Photosynthetic pigments showed opposite trends, i.e., with increasing Cd contents, we observed a decrease in chlorophylls and an increase in carotenoids. The investigated cultivars showed high ability of sequestrating Cd in roots but a low translocation efficiency to the aboveground organs, suggesting a good potential for food safety. The response of plants to Cd was mediated by a different expression of the MTP and HMA gene families. Our study represents the first comprehensive investigation of Cd tolerance in eggplant varieties from the Mediterranean basin and highlights the importance of comparative studies to identify Cd-tolerant cultivars.

Orchidaceae is one of the largest angiosperm families, with extensive floral morphological diversity, complex pollination systems, and frequent hybridization, which complicate species delimitation. Target capture offers a scalable alternative to whole‐genome sequencing for phylogenomic and ecological applications, but operational thresholds for reliable species identification, particularly from reduced or degraded single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) datasets, remain poorly quantified. We developed the 20KOrchidbaits, a kit of 20,000 nuclear and 400 plastid baits, specifically designed for Orchidaceae by using already available ( Phalaenopsis ) and recently sequenced ( Ophrys ) orchid genomes. We then tested the kit for assessing phylogenetic relationships and pollinaria assignment in Catasetum , a young and fast‐evolving neotropical orchid genus. In silico tests of the 20KOrchidbaits kit showed high recovery efficiency for nuclear baits, particularly in the subfamilies Apostasioideae, Orchidoideae, and Epidendroideae. The kit also showed robust plastid performance (85.9% average mapping). Applying 20KOrchidbaits to Catasetum members confirmed its high recovery efficiency and showed a strong ability to disclose phylogenetic relationships and identify species‐specific SNPs. Using the 20KOrchidbaits kit for Catasetum pollinaria genotyping, the pollinaria were accurately assigned to their source orchid species, both with the full dataset of species‐specific SNPs and with subsets of it. The 20KOrchidbaits provide a versatile toolkit for gathering species resolution even in rapidly radiating orchid clades. This tool also represents the first reliable species‐level identification of orchid pollinarium with target capture, surpassing traditional barcode markers.