Spread of violets in polluted pine forests: morphological and molecular evidence for the ecological importance of interspecific hybridization

Hybridization between plant species occurs frequently but hybrids are often restricted to ecotones or disturbed habitats. In this study we show that introgressive hybrids between the tetraploid Viola riviniana and the diploid V. reichenbachiana invaded pine forests of the Dübener Heide (central Germany), an area affected by calcareous pollutants. The spread of these violet populations was correlated with the impact of pollution on habitat...