Abstract:
n the Alhambra (Granada, Spain), and in other Moor
ish locations, several individuals
of the original variety of myrtle, the emblematic p
lant of their gardens, have been
identified and genetically authenticated. After mic
rosatellite analysis, we differentiated
between the wild form (
Myrtus communis
L.) and two cultivated varieties: the one original
to the Alhambra, the Moorish myrtle (subsp.
baetica
), and the variety introduced in more
modern times (subsp.
tarentina
). The genetic and morphological differences betwee
n these
two varieties confirm the taxonomic distinctness of
the subsp.
baetica
. With very few
individuals known, this Moorish myrtle is on the ve
rge of extinction. The genetic
identification offers the opportunity to restore a
key element of this 14th-century garden
and enhance the authenticity of a World Heritage sit
e.
Keywords
: Alhambra, Microsatellite,
Mirtus communis
, Subspecies, Taxon
