Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Kirsten Wolff
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Rhododendron (Ericaceae) is a large genus in which barriers to hybridization are especially weak, but many species are maintained in sympatry. Hybridization among four species of Rhododendron subsect. Pontica, which occur in sympatry in Turkey, was investigated. Material of R. ponticum, R. smirnovii, R. ungernii, and R. caucasicum and their putative hybrids was collected from the wild. Based on morphology, chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles, each accession was identified as a species or hybrid combination. Five of the six possible hybrid combinations among the four species were detected. Rhododendron ponticum x R. smirnovii was represented by a single individual and R. caucasicum x R. smirnovii by one small group of hybrid plants. The combinations R. ponticum x R. ungernii and R. ungernii x R. smirnovii showed evidence of frequent backcrossing, while R. ponticum x R. caucasicum appeared unusual in that an intermediate hybrid type was abundant, whereas hybrids with phenotypes approaching either parent were rare. Possible explanations of this latter situation are discussed. The results suggest that natural hybridization among Rhododendron species is common and that ecological factors are important in maintaining integrity when species occur in sympatry.
Author(s): Milne RI, Abbott RJ, Wolff K, Chamberlain DF
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: American Journal of Botany
Year: 1999
Volume: 86
Issue: 12
Pages: 1776-1785
Print publication date: 01/12/1999
ISSN (print): 0002-9122
ISSN (electronic): 1537-2197
Publisher: Botanical Society of America, Inc.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2656674
DOI: 10.2307/2656674
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
