VARIATION IN THE CLADONIA-CHLOROPHAEA COMPLEX .1. MORPHOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL VARIATION IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN POPULATIONS

Natural populations of the Cladonia chlorophaea complex vary in morpho logy, fertility, and secondary-product chemistry. In this study, 1,485 individuals from 75 mats on three Southern Appalachian mountains were scored for chemotype and fertility, and 914 individuals for qualitati ve morphological characters. These populations contain individuals of four chemotypes that have been recognized as sibling species. The freq uency of the chemotypes varied between mats, even at the same site, in dicating that there is little migration between mats. The frequencies of some morphological traits were significantly higher in some chemoty pes, such as apothecia production in the grayanic acid chemotype. Howe ver, individuals within each of the chemotypes were morphologically va riable and individuals in different chemotypes often shared each of th e morphological traits. Both fumarprotocetraric acid and merochloropha eic acid chemotypes appeared to contain two morphological groups that differed in the size and cover of the soredia and the shape of the cup . Although morphological tendencies can be identified for the chemotyp es, morphology cannot be used to predict chemotype nor to support reco gnition of chemospecies in these populations.