Ma. Sydes et R. Peakall, EXTENSIVE CLONALITY IN THE ENDANGERED SHRUB HALORAGODENDRON LUCASII (HALORAGACEAE) REVEALED BY ALLOZYMES AND RAPDS, Molecular ecology, 7(1), 1998, pp. 87-93
The occurrence of clonality in threatened plants can have important im
plications for their conservation. In this study, allozymes and RAPDs
were used to determine the extent of clonality in the endangered shrub
Haloragodendron lucasii (Haloragaceae), which is known from only four
sites within an 8 km range. Allozyme markers identified only six mult
ilocus genotypes among the 53 ramets sampled across the four sites, al
though a total of 54 different genotypes were possible with the three
polymorphic allozyme loci detected. The polymorphic bands detected in
the RAPD analysis were capable of producing 2(46) genotypes, but again
only six multilocus genotypes were delineated. The allozyme and RAPD
data were congruent at three of the four sites. At the fourth site two
genotypes were detected by each marker; however, once combined, three
multilocus genotypes were observed. The probabilities that the observ
ed number of replicates of each combined allozyme and RAPD genotype co
uld be generated by sexual reproduction were less than 10(-18), leavin
g little doubt that clonality is the explanation for the observed patt
erns of genotypes. The genetic conclusions are supported by root excav
ations which show potential for vegetative reproduction and the observ
ation of no sexual reproduction in the species. The recognition of ext
ensive clonality in H. lucasii has had immediate implications for the
conservation management of the species and resulted in changes to the
management priorities for the species. Thus it is clear that appropria
te genetic studies can play an important role in the management of thr
eatened species.