RAPD analysis reveals geographic differentiations within Allium schoenoprasum L. (Alliaceae)

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to study the phyl ogenetic relationships between species in Allium section Schoenoprosum and for the investigation of the intraspecific differentiation of A. schoenopro sum. RAPD analysis of 39 samples representing eight species of sect, Schoen oprosum and one sample of A. atrosanguineum (sect. Annulo-prosum) resulted in 233 interpretable RAPD bands. The analysis clearly distinguishes the spe cies of section Schoenoprosum. The arrangement of the accessions of A, scho enoprosum in all dendrograms mirrors the geographical distribution, with a clear differentiation between an Asian and European subgroup. Within the Eu ropean group, Scandinavian material is clearly distinct from S and E Europe an material. Informally described morphological types of A. schoenoprosum c ould not be confirmed by RAPD analysis but represent recurrent ecological a daptations, A combination of phenetic (UPGMA, neighbour-joining analysis), cladistic (parsimony analysis), and statistical (PCA) methods of data analy sis resulted in clearer phylogenetic interpretations than each of the metho ds facilitates when used separately.