Population analysis of Licuala glabra Griff. var. glabra (Palmae) using RAPD profiling

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiling revealed genetic diversit y among three populations of Licuala glabra var. glabra a, an understorey p alm growing in the dipterocarp forests of Terengganu, Malaysia. The Bukit B auk population had individuals without aerial stems. The Bukit Besi individ uals had stem heights to 30 cm, while those of the Rasau Kerteh population had stems up to 4 m in height. Southern blot analysis confirmed that an app arent monomorphic band generated by the primer OPU-17 among the three diffe rent populations corresponds to the same locus. Six primers were used to ge nerate 87 RAPD bands that formed 2-state character raw data for estimating genetic distances using the simple matching coefficient of similarity. The phenogram generated by UPGMA of the RAPD data grouped the individuals from the three populations under three clusters. This was in agreement with the morphological grouping. The infraspecific L. glabra var, selangorensis Becc . was grouped closer to the L. glabra var. glabra individuals than to the o utgroup L, scortechinii Becc. Principal component analysis supported the ob servation from the phenogram. The results show discrete genetic structuring in the populations studied and provide useful information for future conse rvation measures. (C) 1999 Annals of Botany Company.