INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION IN NATURAL-POPULATIONS OF CYRTANDRA (GESNERIACEAE) ON THE HAWAIIAN-ISLANDS - EVIDENCE FROM RAPD MARKERS

Interspecific hybridization among Hawaiian species of Cyrtandra (Gesne riaceae) was investigated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RA PD) markers. Thirty-three different primers were used to investigate i nterspecific hybridization for 17 different putative hybrids based on morphological intermediacy and sympatry with putative parental species . RAPD data provided evidence for the hybrid origin of all putative hy brid taxa examined in this analysis. However, the patterns in the hybr id taxa were not found to be completely additive of the patterns found in the parental-species. Markers missing in the hybrid taxa can be at tributed to polymorphism in the populations of the parental species an d the dominant nature of inheritance for RAPD markers. Unique markers found within hybrid taxa require further explanation but do not necess arily indicate that the taxa are not of hybrid origin. The implication s suggest that these interspecific hybridization events had, and conti nue to have, an effect on the adaptive radiation and conservation biol ogy of Cyrtandra.