Articles
THE SPECIES DELIMITATION OF LACHENALIA UNIFOLIA AND L. HIRTA
Article number
570_56
Pages
395 – 401
Language
English
Abstract
The genus Lachenalia consists of bulbous geophytes growing mainly in the Western Cape.
This genus produce beautiful pot plants and is, therefore, very valuable as an export product to countries like the Netherlands. Lachenalia unifolia and L. hirta differ mainly in regard to their hairiness, whereas many other morphological characters correspond.
Several cytogenetic studies indicated that L. unifolia has somatic chromosome numbers of 2n = 16, 21, 22, 24 and 26, whereas L. hirta has 2n = 18, 22 and 24. This study indicated that the majority of specimens from both species are diploids, with 2n = 2x = 22. DNA amplification fingerprinting indicated that the genetic variation between the two species is only marginally higher than the variation within any of these species.
Consequently, this study suggests that these species probably represent two subspecies of the same species, rather than two separate species.
This genus produce beautiful pot plants and is, therefore, very valuable as an export product to countries like the Netherlands. Lachenalia unifolia and L. hirta differ mainly in regard to their hairiness, whereas many other morphological characters correspond.
Several cytogenetic studies indicated that L. unifolia has somatic chromosome numbers of 2n = 16, 21, 22, 24 and 26, whereas L. hirta has 2n = 18, 22 and 24. This study indicated that the majority of specimens from both species are diploids, with 2n = 2x = 22. DNA amplification fingerprinting indicated that the genetic variation between the two species is only marginally higher than the variation within any of these species.
Consequently, this study suggests that these species probably represent two subspecies of the same species, rather than two separate species.
Publication
Authors
P. van Rooyen, J.J. Spies, R. Kleynhans
Keywords
Chromosomes, DNA-fingerprinting, genetic distances, Lachenalia
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