Abstract
A morphometric and isozyme analysis of a fertile tetraploid radiate groundsel discovered in York, England, in 1979, showed it to differ markedly from typical inland radiate groundsel, Senecio vulgaris var. hibernicus. Morphologically, York radiate groundsel was intermediate between S. vulgaris and S. squalidus plants derived from York and Edinburgh populations. In addition, it exhibited an additive esterase phenotype which combined the αEst-1 and βEst-1 phenotypes expressed by S. vulgaris and S. squalidus, respectively. In contrast, S. vulgaris var. hibernicus does not express a βEst-1 allozyme. It is concluded that York radiate groundsel is a product of hybridization between S. vulgaris and S. squalidus quite different from that of S. vulgaris var. hibernicus. This new variant appears to be of very recent origin, it exhibits a high level of self seed set, and is currently relatively well established in the city of York. Despite its ability to intercross with typical S. vulgaris, it appears to have maintained its distinctive morphological and isozyme phenotype in the wild.
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Irwin, J., Abbott, R. Morphometric and isozyme evidence for the hybrid origin of a new tetraploid radiate groundsel in York, England. Heredity 69, 431–439 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1992.147
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1992.147
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