POPULATION GENETIC ANALYSES OF AN AMPHI-ATLANTIC SPECIES - LYCHNIS-ALPINA (CARYOPHYLLACEAE)

Lychnis alpina is a perennial caryophyllaceous plant with an amphi-Atlantic distribution. 27 populations are described on the basis of allozyme data from 11 electrophoretic loci. L. alpina has a relatively low level of genetic variation, 3 of the loci are polymorphic (P0.99 = 20.2%) and the mean expected heterozygosity per indivindual is H-3 = 0.233 the three polymorphic loci included (H11 = 0.064, 11 loci included). Despite relatively low level of genetic variation, the genetic diversity among populations is relatively high with F(ST) = 0.5 1. A hierarchial analysis of genetic diversity demonstrates that most of the genetic diversity exists as interpopulational, intra-regional diversity. Genetic identity is not associated with the intercontinental geographical distribution of the populations, neither is the diversity correspondant to taxonomic relationships.