Distribution, morphological variations and cpDNA PCR-RFLP analysis of Dendranthema yoshinaganthum

Abstract

Dendranthema yoshinaganthum is an endemic species found along the Naka-river in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. The habitat area has narrowed, compared to that reported in the 1950s. Thirty-six individuals of this species were collected from the habitat and from two institutes. There were considerable variations in leaf and flower morphology and flowering time among the specimen. Three lines with large plants obtained from two institutes were found to be octoploid (2n=72), whereas all others were tetraploid (2n=36). PCR-RFLP analysis of chloroplast DNA gene, trnK, showed that this species could be divided into two groups.