Natural hybridization origin of Rhododendron agastum (Ericaceae) in Yunnan, China: inferred from morphological and molecular evidence.
The natural hybridization that occurs between two sympatric species of Rhododendron subgenus Hymenanthes in Yunnan, China, was investigated. The assumed parents, Rhododendron delavayi Franch. and R. decorum Franch., are morphologically distinct, and the putative hybrid species, R. agastum Balf. f. et W. W. Smith, has an intermediate morphology. We used the main morphological characters, sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS region, and the chloroplast DNA trnL-F intronspacer to analyze the three species, and compared these morphological and molecular data with an artificial hybrid between R. decorum (female symbol) x R. delavayi (male symbol). From the results, we conclude that R. agastum is a natural hybrid between a female R. delavayi and a male R. decorum.
Zhang
Jing-Li
JL
Kunming Botanic Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Zhang
Chang-Qin
CQ
Gao
Lian-Ming
LM
Yang
Jun-Bo
JB
Li
Hong-Tao
HT
D002681:China; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D035264:Flowers / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D029793:Rhododendron / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D018744:DNA, Plant; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal