The hybrid origin of Calamagrostis ×gracilescens (Poaceae) in Poland inferred from morphology and AFLP data

• Main Authors: Beata Paszko, Marcin Nobis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Polish Botanical Society 2011-01-01
• Series: Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
• Subjects: Calamagrostis ×gracilescens; C. canescens; C. stricta; hybrid; habitat conditions; morphology; AFLP markers; gene flow
• Online Access: https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/330

The morphology of Calamagrostis canescens and C. stricta recorded in the Małopolska Upland (the vicinity of Zbijów Mały, ca. 10 km northeast of the town of Skarżysko-Kamienna, Central Poland) was examined due to intermediate individuals found in sympatric populations of these species. Both putative parents as well as individuals that appeared hybrid-like were found in an extensive, wet hay-meadow. Various vegetative and reproductive characteristics were studied to identify hybrids. Interestingly, Polish accessions of C. ×gracilescens exhibited some degree of morphological intermediacy but resembled C. stricta in spikelet morphology. Branching of the mid-culm, the number of nodes per culm, callus hair length and relative callus hair length are the best characters to distinguish the Polish C. ×gracilescens. AFLP analysis proved to be suitable for detecting recent hybridization events between C. canescens and C. stricta. Analysis of the Bayesian clustering analysis showed that C. ×gracilescens were subjected to gene flow from the C. canescens gene pool as well as from the C. stricta gene pool.