| Abstract Detail
Systematics/Phytogeography / Taxonomie/ Section Lee, Chris [1], Whitton, Jeannette [2]. Townsendia: Disentangling an asexually frustrating genus. Ranging from the far reaches of Alaska and the Yukon, to the southwestern United States and Mexico, Townsendia is a diminutive, but charismatic genus of Rocky Mountain composites. As is common in groups with similar ranges, a variety of highly edaphic specialists have arisen in Townsendia. However, common to all Townsendia are the showy, attractive flower heads of this genus. Because of these large, “pollinator friendly” flowering heads, it is curious that roughly half the species of Townsendia include populations with asexual seed production, apomixis. Other species have taken an opposite route, reproducing with not only members of the same species, but also forming hybrids with closely related species. Using both broad and narrow sampling, my research looks at the effects of apomixis, polyploidy, hybridization, and ecological specialization on the genetic diversity across the geospatial landscape. I plan to resolve the phylogeny of Townsendia with 3 non-coding chloroplast regions and 1 coding chloroplast region. This phylogeny will allow me to speculate on the origins of apomixis and polyploidy. Also non-synonymous and synonymous substitution rates will give insight into selective forces imposed on samples of varying species, ploidy and reproductive system.
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1 - University of British Columbia, Botany, 6270 University Blvd Rm3529, Vancouver, V6T1Z4, Canada
2 - University of British Columbia, Botany Department, 3529-6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
Keywords:
polyploidy
apomixis
hybridization
phylogeny
Asteraceae.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Ball Room & Party Room/SUB
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2008
Time: 12:30 PM
Number: PSP073
Abstract ID:877 |
