The diVerent subspecies of Phytophthora alni, P. alni subsp. alni (Paa), P. alni subsp. uniformis (Pau), and P. alni subsp. multiformis (Pam), are recent and widespread pathogens of alder in Europe. They are believed to be a group of emergent heteroploid hybrids between two phylogenetically close Phytophthora species. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analyses were performed, using a broad collection of P. alni and two closely related species, P. cambivora and P. fragariae. Paa possesses three diVerent alleles for each of the nuclear genes we studied, two of which are present in Pam as well, whereas the third matches the single allele present in Pau. Moreover, Paa displays common mtDNA patterns with both Pam and Pau. A combination of the data suggests that Paa may have been generated on several occasions by hybridization between Pam and Pau, or their respective ancestors. Pau might have P. cambivora as a species ancestor, whereas Pam seems to have either been generated itself by an ancient reticulation or by autopolyploidization. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved