Current research topics

• Phylogenetics of the endangered orchid genus Himantoglossum
This research theme has been my focus in the last two years, funded by an international exchange grant. We aim to determine the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Himantoglossum (lizard-orchids) s.l. using molecular makers and morphorological characters. We managed to sample all species within this genus, including three highly endangered species listed in the nature conservation act of EU (Natura 2000). Our proposed phylogeny answers the question of how the species within this group are related to each other, and also depicts the phylogeography of these plants, which follows an east-to-west migration in two waves; an earlier that branched into a Mediterranean lineage of species, and a recent one resulting Submediterranean species, including ours (H. adriaticum, H. caprinum). Interestingly, molecular markers tell about a hybridisation story within the group that led to the formation of one of the EU protected species, H. adriaticum. This exchange grant allowed me to work with Prof. R. M. Bateman (Kew) and Dr. J. A. Hawkins (Reading).
• Phylogeography of the Ophrys fuciflora (bee-orchid) species-complex
My PhD-theme was the molecular analysis of the above species-complex, which is the most species-rich complex within the sexually deceptive plant genus Ophrys, and can be considered as a group accurately representing the biological problems within the genus. Because most contemporary researchers, mainly entomologists, believe the strong selection mediated by the sexually deceived male pollinators leads to rapid isolation of new Ophrys species, which causes/caused an extensive speciation in this genus. However, in our view, who look at these plants through the glass of genetics, the situation is different, because the strong isolation did not lead to genetic isolation of species, therefore we cannot accept the dominant role of the pollinators in the evolution of Ophrys. In contrast, the intensive cloning of the nrITS region identified four lineages within the O. fuciflora complex, that can be connected to glacial refugia, therefore hinting at other factors than pollinators as main drivers in the evolution of Ophrys.
• Molecular identification of the relict Hungarian population of Adonis
For decades after the discovery of an Adonis population in the centre of the Great Hungarian Plain it was believed it represented the westernmost population of the Central Asian species A. volgensis. Notwithstanding, the careful examination of such populations around Cluj-Napoca (Ro) identified an introgression of the Central Asian species towards the more common A. vernalis. This result was extrapolated into the Hungarian population, and our botany reclassified our relict population as a hybrid, but without any investigations. Working together with a PhD-student at Cluj, L. Bartha, we sampled and analysed these populations using molecular markers and comparing them to allopatric A. vernalis and A. volgensis populations. We could verify the genetic exchange in case of the Cluj population, but we found the Hungarian population to be uniform genetically and identical with A. volgensis samples.
• Molecular phylogenetics of Astragalus section Dissitiflori
With my collaborator L. Bartha (Cluj-Napoca), we try to shed light on the phylogeny of the "orchids of steppes", a Central-Asian milk-vetch group. As many members of these species are steppe relicts in our region, it is an important conservation genetics question to clarify the phylogenetic affiliations of our species. On the other hand, as these plants are known to be reproduce explicitly on an autogamous way, their phylogeny can be interesting in sense of how the morphological variability is maintained in such a reproduction system.
• The molecular validation of Diphasium tristachyum in Hungary
Using the molecular markers described by Norwegian researchers, we characterised molecularly the Hungarian populations of D. tristacyum, a species reported only from a northern mountain range of Hungary. Both chloroplast and nuclear markers were identical with D. complanatum sequences. These regions were also checked on the voucher specimen, and it was also found to be mis-identified.
• Phylogenetics of the European members of Elatine sect. Elatinella
In this research project, which we have just initiated with Prof. A. Popiela (Szczecin), we would like to gain insight into the phylogenetic relationships of the little-know littoral species of Elatine, where the evolutionary background of transitions of various floral traits can potentially be explained by a clear phylogeny of these species. We will utilise several chloroplast and two nuclear regions to build a molecular phylogeny of this group.
• Molecular analysis of the Hungarian Sicista subtilis
This rodent species is another steppe relict that extends to the west to Hungary. Using mitochondrial and nuclear markers, we try to phyogenetically characterise the Hungarian population, as there are several morphological traits that suggest a taxonomical distinctiveness of our population. For this work, we designed a new primer-pair that can be used to PCR-amplify a 1.6 kb region of the cytochrome-B region, which is phylogenetically highly informative. This project is run together with Prof. J. Farkas and Dr. T. Cserkész (Budapest).
• Molecular characterisation of Maculinea arion and M. teleius in allo- and sympatric populations
In this new research, I work together with Dr. J. Bereczki (Debrecen), who would like to find, if there is any, evidence for genetic exchange between two closely related butterfly species. We utilise numerous mitochondrial and nuclear markers to genetically characterise allo- and sympatric populations of the above species.
• Vegetation and flora mapping in Mátra Mountains
This work accompany me from my early student years. As a result, together with G. Magos, we mapped the natural vegetation of the mountains at scale 1:10000 on 300 km2 by now. We have also published several floristic papers in national peer-reviewed journal, reporting many vascular plant species at the first time from the flora of the mountains.
• Floristics in the Carpatho-Pannonian Region
Several, internationally interesting occurrences of plant species from our geographic region were published and being published as a result of my work with various co-authors. These species include Anogramma laptophylla, Ophrys bertolonii, Epipactis albensis, Elatine hungarica.