Hybrid speciation in Erythronium (Liliaceae): a new allotetraploid speciesfrom Washington State

Erythronium populations from the southwestern Olympic Mountains of Washingt on U.S.A. are tetraploid (2n = 18) and are morphologically intermediate bet ween two widespread diploid species of this region, the subalpine E. montan um and the low-elevation E. revolutium. The Olympic Mountains populations l ie between the geographic and elevational ranges of E. montanum and E. revo lutum and exhibit a combination of the isozyme characteristics of these two species, possessing 11 alleles in common with E. montanum and four in comm on with E. revolutum. The evidence supports their derivation from the above two species through allopolyploid hybridization, and they are described he re as the new species Erythronium quinaultense.