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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 1999, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (3): 84-96.

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ON EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THREE LARIX TAXA IN CHINA:L.GMELINII(RUPR.)RUPR, L.OLGENSIS HENRY AND L.PRINCIPIS-RUPPRECHTII MAYR.

XIN-SHENG HU1,RICHARD A. ENNOS2,XIAO-SHAN WANG1   

  1. 1. Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091
    2. IER M, University of E dinburgh, Ed inburgh EH93Ju, Scotland
  • Received:1998-10-05 Online:1999-05-25 Published:1999-05-25

Abstract:

The three taxa of the genus,Larix gmelinii(Rupr.)Rupr,L.olgensis Henry and L.principis-rupprechtii Mayr.,are very important timber species in China. However,the classification of these three taxa has been very arguable because different traits are employed by different authors. Thus,elucidation of their genetic relationships is of great singnificance in practice,such as the potential utility of heterosis between the taxa. Recent studies assessed using allozymes and cpDNA markers showed that there were very closely genetic relationships among the three taxa,implying that their divergences probably occurred very recently. In this review the probable process for the formation of L.olgensis and L.principis-rupprechtii was discussed in detail,including possible routes,the time scale for divergence and the definition of species. According to the concept of biological species and the genetic variation of different traits,it would be more reasonable to consider L.olgensis and L.principis-rupprechtii to be two varieties of L.gmelinii other than two separate species.

Key words: L.gmelinii(Rupr.)Rupr, L.olgensis Henry, L.principis-rupprechtii Mayr., Genetic evolutionary relationship