Annals of Botany 95/1 © Annals of Botany Company 2005; all rights reserved
When does Intraspecific C-value Variation become Taxonomically Significant?
School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
* For correspondence. E-mail b.murray{at}auckland.ac.nz
Received: 22 October 2003 Returned for revision: 5 November 2003 Accepted: 12 November 2003
• Aims To examine what possible role intraspecific DNA C-value variation may play in plant taxonomy.
• Scope Although many of the original examples of intraspecific C-value variation have been shown to be the result of experimental variation, new examples using the appropriate standards and controls continue to be published. The evidence that intraspecific C-value variation alters phenotypes can be equivocal, and detailed studies are needed to clarify any possible relationship. However, populations within species have been shown to have varying DNA amounts that can be correlated with eco-geographic variables, suggesting that the variation is adaptive and that these may be examples of incipient speciation.
• Conclusions Where intraspecific C-value variation appears most significant for taxonomy is as an indicator of taxonomic heterogeneity, pointing to the need for a re-evaluation of the delimitation of the species in question. There is also the need to test whether intraspecific C-value variants produce fertile F1 hybrids or not, as this would be a good indication of whether they belong in the same biological species.
Key words: DNA C-value, intraspecific variation, C-value and phenotype, C-value and adaptation, intraspecific C-value variation and taxonomy
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