ISOENZYMATIC CHARACTERIZATION OF POTENTIALLY USEFUL FORAGE SHRUBS BELONGING TO THE GENUS CYTISUS AND ALLIES (GENISTEA, LEGUMINOSAE)

Twenty-five accessions belonging to the genus Cytisus and allies (Geni steae: Leguminosae), potentially useful for agrosylvopastoral systems in the Mediterranean basin, were analyzed using isoenzymes. The aim wa s to assess the taxonomic usefulness of these characters at the specif ic and generic levels, and its value as an aid for the taxonomy. A hig h level of infrageneric and infraspecific variability was detected. Nu merical analysis showed that isoenzymes are useful for the characteriz ation both at the specific and generic levels. The obtained dendrogram supports the generic arrangement proposed by Bisby [(1981) Advances i n Legume Systematics, Vol. 1, pp. 409-425], therefore helping to eluci date the difficult taxonomy of the studied species.