Understanding in what way cold-adapted mountain species have responded to historical climatic fluctuations in southern European refugia and investigating the genetic variation of endemic species is fundamental to predict their survival under contemporary global climate change. Veronica aragonensis (Plantaginaceae) is a tetraploid species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula that survived the climatic oscillations of the Quaternary. This species is adapted to cold environments and is included in several regional Red Lists due to its small and disjunct distribution range in high-mountain habitats (Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees and Baetic System). With the aim of deciphering the phylogeographical processes that underlie the presently disjunct distribution pattern of V. aragonensis and to evaluate its conservation status, we used 9 microsatellite loci to genotype 324 individuals from 12 populations representing the three disjunct areas where the species is distributed. Our results suggest that range fragmentation of an ancient continuous distribution of V. aragonensis—particularly in the low elevation mountain ranges located between the Pyrenees and the Baetic System—during the Last Glacial Maximum is the most plausible explanation for the disjunct distribution pattern of the species. Lastly, the intraspecific genetic patterns are discussed to predict how this endemic species can be affected by global climate warming. Based on the genetic data obtained here, an appropriate evaluation of the conservation status of V. aragonensis and some management strategies are provided.

了解适应寒冷的山地物种以何种方式对南欧避难所的历史气候波动做出反应，并调查特有物种的遗传变异，对于预测它们在当代全球气候变化下的生存至关重要。Veronica aragonensis（车前草科）是伊比利亚半岛特有的四倍体物种，在第四纪气候波动中幸存下来。该物种适应寒冷环境，由于其在高山栖息地（比利牛斯山脉、前比利牛斯山脉和贝蒂克系统）中分布范围小且不连续，因此被列入多个区域性红色名录。目的是破译阿拉贡弧菌目前分离的分布模式背后的系统地理学过程为了评估其保护状况，我们使用 9 个微卫星位点对来自 12 个种群的 324 个个体进行了基因分型，这些种群代表了该物种分布的三个分离区域。我们的研究结果表明，在末次盛冰期，阿拉贡古代连续分布的范围破碎——特别是位于比利牛斯山脉和贝埃奇系统之间的低海拔山脉——是对该物种间断分布模式的最合理解释. 最后，讨论了种内遗传模式，以预测这种特有物种如何受到全球气候变暖的影响。基于此处获得的遗传数据，对阿拉贡弧菌保护状况的适当评估 并提供了一些管理策略。