The species-richness of the flora in the European Alps results from complex interactions between geographical, climatic and environmental factors. In this study, we focus on a complex of closely related Alpine plants: Primula hirsuta, P. pedemontana and their relatives. Using a large DNA dataset of thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms sequenced across 149 individuals spanning all the western Alps, we refine phylogenetic relationships in this clade and explore the evolutionary origins of a mysterious lineage found in one valley of the Écrins range (France): the Valgaudemar. In particular, we demonstrate that this lineage did not originate from a simple allopatric divergence, but from an isolated lineage related to Primula pedemontana, which later got introgressed by P. hirsuta. This leads us to develop a phylogeographic scenario explaining the origins of the Valgaudemar lineage, and shed light on a potential glacial refugium in the south of the Écrins range. We believe this study takes part in the deep understanding of the origins of endemism in the European Alps and more generally of the maintaining of species diversity.

欧洲阿尔卑斯山植物群的丰富性源于地理、气候和环境因素之间的复杂相互作用。在这项研究中，我们专注于密切相关的高山植物复合体：Primula hirsuta、P. pedemontana及其亲属。使用一个包含数千个单核苷酸多态性的大型 DNA 数据集，该数据集对跨越所有西阿尔卑斯山的 149 个个体进行了测序，我们改进了这个进化枝中的系统发育关系，并探索了在 Écrins 山脉（法国）的一个山谷中发现的神秘谱系的进化起源：瓦尔高德马尔 特别是，我们证明了该谱系并非源自简单的异域分化，而是源自与Primula pedemontana相关的孤立谱系，后来被P. hirsuta 渗入。这导致我们开发了一个系统地理学场景来解释 Valgaudemar 血统的起源，并揭示了 Écrins 山脉南部潜在的冰川避难所。我们相信这项研究有助于深入了解欧洲阿尔卑斯山特有的起源，更广泛地了解维持物种多样性。