CONTRASTING PATTERNS OF CLONALITY IN 2 CLOSELY-RELATED MALLEE SPECIESFROM WESTERN-AUSTRALIA, EUCALYPTUS-ARGUTIFOLIA AND EUCALYPTUS-OBTUSIFLORA (MYRTACEAE)

Allozymes were used to investigate patterns of clonal growth (vegetati ve spread) in two closely related multi-stemmed (mallee) eucalypts fro m Western Australia. Eucalyptus argutifolia Grayling & Brooker, a rare species with a localised distribution, appeared to be extensively clo nal. Several populations had putative clones larger than 100 m(2), wit h the largest clone size estimated to be 306 m(2). By contrast, the mo re common and widespread E. obtusiflora DC. was far less clonal and ha d a maximum clone size of 22 m(2). Both genetic and environmental fact ors may have contributed to these contrasting patterns of clonal growt h. When clonality is taken into account, most populations of E. arguti folia had very few individuals (less than or equal to 12 genets) and e stimates from this study suggest that the entire species may consist o f less than 500 genets.