Analysis of mitochondrial DNA of an endangered beech species, Fagus hayatae Palibin ex Hayata

Mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms were used to ex amine cytoplasmic diversity within a relic-like population of Fagus hayatae , located in northern Taiwan. Fifteen trees were surveyed for three restric tion endonucleases (BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII) and five mitochondrial gene p robes (atpA, atp6, atp9, coxI and coxII). The analysis failed to reveal any polymorphisms, an observation that suggests cytoplasmic uniformity in the F. hayatae population examined. It is also interesting to note that the cho ndriome type of our F. hayatae samples is very close to that characteristic of F. crenata populations in the southernmost area of Japan.