Isozymes, and the status of Taraxacum (Asteraceae) agamospecies

HUGHES, L. & RICHARDS, A. J., 1989. Isozymes and the status of Genetic identities I and Similarity Indices SI are calculated between 12 samples of Taraxacum, on the basis of 40 isozymes at 15 loci for 10 enzyme systems. Samples included three polyploid agamospermous populations from northern England (group 1), three sexual diploid populations from south-central France (group 2), and six accessions of 'primitive' diploid self-compatible sexual taxa from southern Europe and Australia. Samples could be assigned to eight species, classified in seven sections of the genus. Two clusters of high relationship were evident. All the group 1 and group 2 species were very closely related, with pairwise comparisons for I in excess of 0.93. The three group 3 accessions identified as T. bessarabicum showed pairwise comparisons for SI in excess of 0.71. Comparisons for SI between the other group 3 species, and between all the group 3 species and the group 1 and 2 species were all very low, not exceeding 0.45. It is concluded that dissimilarity between samples as assessed by isozymes is probably related to the time of evolutionary divergence of those samples. Although allopolyploid, and morphologically very diverse, the group 1 agamospecies may have very recently diverged asexually from a common stock. The group 2 diploids may have resulted from rediploidization and regained sexuality from the same originally agamospermous stock. In areas of Europe in which such 'modern' sexuality is common, it is probable that all 'modern' Taraxaca, including at least five sections of the genus, should be included within a single taxon. In contrast, 'primitive' self-compatible sexual species in group 3 appear to have diverged from each other several million years ago, and with the exception of the disjunct accessions of T. bessarabicum, are genetically highly distinct. Such species should be maintained in the taxonomies of all areas. It is probable that an agamospecies classification of 'modern'Taraxacum will continue to convey much useful information in areas, such as northern Europe, in which sexuality is absent.