STUDIES ON THE STELLARIA-LONGIPES COMPLEX (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) - ISOZYME VARIABILITY AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STELLARIA-LONGIPES AND S-LONGIFOLIA

Genetic variation within and the relationship between Stellaria longipesGoldie and S. longifoliaMuhl. were studied. Ten enzyme systems were assessed in eight natural populations of S. longipes (25 loci) and three of S. longifolia (20 loci) using starch and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Patterns of population differentiation corresponded to geographic distance. There was no evidence that polyploid S. longipes had greater electrophoretic variability than diploid S. longipes. The isozyme data confirmed extensive population differentiation in these species and, within that context, a relatively close relationship between S. longipes and S. longifolia. It was postulated that diploids of these two species might be the progenitors of tetraploid S. longipes. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.