TAXONOMIC EVALUATIONS OF THE GENUS PINUS (PINACEAE) BASED ON ELECTROPHORETIC DATA OF SALT SOLUBLE AND INSOLUBLE SEED STORAGE PROTEINS

Electrophoretic studies on seed storage proteins of various gymnosperm species showed that both salt soluble and insoluble protein fractions give taxonomic information. Among species of the genus Pinus evident differences are found between the subgenera Haploxylon (Strobus) and D iploxylon (Pinus). In sect. Strobus the two subsectt. Strobi and Cembr ae are readily distinguished from P. bungeana (sect. Parrya) which app ears to fall in an intermediate position between haploxyl and diploxyl pines. Among the species of subg. Diploxylon, ''mountain pines'' show very similar protein patterns in agreement with their recent speciati on (Quaternary).