Genetic relationships of Helichrysum dimorphum (Inuleae-Compositae (Asteraceae)) with H. filicaule, H. depressum, and Raoulia glabra as resolved by isozyme analysis

Abstract

Extracts of vegetative tissue of Helichrysum dimorphum, H. filicaule, H. depressum, and Raoulia glabra were fractionated by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis, and genetic variation between species was analysed at 18 enzymatic loci. Results provided no evidence for hybrid origin of H. dimorphum. H. dimorphum and H. filicaule have the highest genetic identity (0.765), and also share a duplication of the cytosolic phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) locus, which was not found in the two remaining species. Genetic identities between any two of the three Helichrysum species are within the range reported for congeneric plant species, whereas genetic identities between the Helichrysum species studied and Raoulia glabra are considerably lower. The gene duplication of PGI in two but possibly not in the third investigated Helichrysum species may provide a genetic marker which could be useful in future phylogenetic studies of the New Zealand Inuleae.