Origin of Livistona chinensis var. subglobosa (Arecaceae) on the "islet ofthe gods": Aoshima, Japan

RAPD analysis was performed to discuss the origin of Livistona chinensis va r, subglobosa using samples from eight localities, Iriomotejima, Ishigakiji ma, Okinawa, Yakushima, Tanegashima, Cape Sata, Tsukishima, and Aoshima, in Japan. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were obtained using five random primers and analyzed by the unweighted pair group method arith metic (UPGMA). Data from Iriomotejima clustered with data from Aoshima, sug gesting the possibility that seeds or green woods were carried by the tidal current from the southern fields of Iriomotejima to Aoshima.