VARIATION IN A POLYPLOID, DIOECIOUS LIVERWORT, MARCHANTIA-GLOBOSA

Citation
H. Bischler et Mc. Boisselierdubayle, VARIATION IN A POLYPLOID, DIOECIOUS LIVERWORT, MARCHANTIA-GLOBOSA, American journal of botany, 80(8), 1993, pp. 953-958
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00029122
Volume
80
Issue
8
Year of publication
1993
Pages
953 - 958
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-9122(1993)80:8<953:VIAPDL>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
This study was undertaken in order to determine the population structu re in a tropical, geographically isolated liverwort, Marchantia globos a Brid. ex Web., a thallose species endemic to the Mascarenes and Como ro Islands. A survey of numerous populations on Reunion showed M. glob osa to be ecologically tolerant and morphologically quite variable. Th e morphological differences between populations could only be explaine d by a size effect, due principally to altitude. Neither cytological n or electrophoretic analyses revealed any genetic basis for distinguish ing subpopulations. In spite of an apparently high reproductive effort , sexual structures being produced abundantly, few spores reach maturi ty. No electrophoretically detectable genetic polymorphism was found. Morphological variation appears to result from phenotypic plasticity.