Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40273308›Full record

ArticleAnnals of botany2025

The winner takes it all: a single genotype of Kalanchoe × houghtonii is a global invader.

Joan Pere Pascual-Díaz, Neus Besolí, Jordi López-Pujol, Neus Nualart, Iván Pérez-Lorenzo, Ronen Shtein, Laura Valenzuela, Sònia Garcia, Daniel Vitales

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of botany, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The impact of the invasiveAoB PLANTS · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Joan Pere Pascual-DíazInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5984-6815
Neus BesolíCatalan Institute for Water Research, (ICRA-CERCA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain.ORCID 0009-0008-6210-1401
Jordi López-PujolInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-2091-6222
Neus NualartInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-5804-387X
Iván Pérez-LorenzoInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-4931-2983
Ronen ShteinThe Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Klausner Street 12, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.ORCID 0000-0001-8868-3640
Laura ValenzuelaInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Sònia GarciaInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3143-0527
Daniel VitalesInstitut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3109-5028

Funding

Catalan Government 2021SGR00315Spanish Research Agency PID2020-119163GB-I00Spanish Research Agency PRE2021-097873
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsInvasive alien plant species pose a global challenge, and their impact is amplified by globalization and the accelerating pace of climate change. In regions with mild climates, drought-tolerant invasive plants showing broad environmental tolerance have a competitive advantage. One example is Kalanchoe × houghtonii (Crassulaceae), popularly known as 'mother of millions'. It is a hybrid resulting from the interploid cross between Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe delagoensis, both native to Madagascar. Kalanchoe × houghtonii, propagated as an ornamental plant, has emerged as a global invader in less than a century. Four morphotypes of this hybrid have been identified, with different ploidy levels and varying invasive capacities. Here, we aim to investigate the genomic variability behind the success of invasion of Kalanchoe × houghtonii.

methodsWe sampled 57 accessions of Kalanchoe × houghtonii, K. daigremontiana, K. delagoensis and closely related taxa, including old herbarium materials, from all over the world. We analysed the genome size and chromosome numbers, sequenced the whole genome, analysed the complete plastome sequence of each accession and studied the diversity of the ribosomal RNA genes. We also performed a detailed phylogenomic study using nuclear BUSCO genes. KEY

resultsOur study reveals genetic and cytogenetic variability between morphotypes and shows that a single tetraploid genotype (morphotype A) dominates all populations, emerging as the first reported clonal hybrid capable of colonizing mild-climate regions worldwide. Morphotype A shows a striking genetic uniformity, high phenotypic plasticity and extremely high rates of vegetative reproduction, representing an example of a 'general-purpose genotype'.

conclusionsThe astonishing reproductive capacity, broad adaptability and speed at which K. × houghtonii is colonizing new regions by clonal spread highlight the importance of understanding hybridization and polyploidy in the invasion of ecosystems. Our findings underscore the need to recognize and monitor the potential invasive risks of new hybrids developed through ornamental plant breeding.

Indexed as

Genome, PlantIntroduced SpeciesKalanchoeGenetic VariationGenotypeClonalitygenomicshybridizationinvasive alien plant speciesornamental plantsphylogenomicspolyploidy

Identifiers

PMID40273308
PMCPMC12401883

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.