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This distribution map has been developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (partly based on the EUFORGEN map) and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)
Caudullo, Giovanni; Welk, Erik; San-Miguel-Ayanz, Jesús (2017). Chorological maps and data for the main European woody species. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.2918528
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Direct, species-specific genetic studies on rosemary-leaved willow are almost non-existent, meaning its genetic diversity and population structure remain largely unknown. Broader research on European alpine willows provides useful context.
Alpine and lowland willows, including rosemary-leaved willow, have undergone multiple colonization events since the late Miocene, leading to widespread but ecologically distinct populations (Wagner, He, and Hörandl, 2021). Most European willows show high genetic diversity within populations and moderate differentiation between populations, driven by obligate outcrossing, wind- and insect-mediated pollen dispersal, and effective seed dispersal (Wagner, He, and Hörandl, 2021). Frequent hybridization also contributes to maintaining genetic variation. Polyploidy is a major driver of willow evolution, with roughly 40% of alpine willow species being polyploid, often with allopolyploid origins that enhance genetic complexity and adaptive potential (Wagner, He, and Hörandl, 2021). Rosemary-leaved willow may share these patterns, but its exact genetic makeup remains unstudied.
Rosemary-leaved willow, like most willows, is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. It is primarily insect pollinated with some wind-assisted pollination and its seeds are largely wind dispersed but can benefit from water-assisted dispersal.
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.
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The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.
Almost no species-specific research exists on the genetics of rosemary-leaved willow. Most knowledge comes from other willow species, which limits understanding of the genetic risks facing the species. However, habitat loss and fragmentation of bogs and fens, changes in hydrology, climatic warming and drying resulting from climate change could reduce population sizes and gene flow between populations. Hybridization with other willows could also alter the unique genetic diversity of rosemary-leaved willow.
Further research is needed on rosemary-leaved willow to understand genetic structure, hybridization rates, and population connectivity to allow effective management of the species’ genetic diversity.
Management strategies could include maintaining and restoring wet meadow, fen, and bog habitats to support population size and dispersal potential. Other measures could include protecting hydrological regimes to prevent habitat drying and fragmentation and avoiding unplanned introductions of non-local willow species to reduce hybridization risk.
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.
Further reading
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References
European Environment Agency (EEA). 2026. EUNIS factsheet for Salix fen scrub (RLF9.2). European Nature Information System (EUNIS). Available from: https://eunis.eea.europa.eu/habitats/8180
Wagner, N.D., He, L., and Hörandl, E. 2021. The evolutionary history, diversity, and ecology of willows (Salix L.) in the European Alps. Diversity, 13(4): 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13040146
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