LIM, CHAE EUN* and CHONG-WOOK PARK. School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea. - Hybridization in Aconitum subgenus Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) at Mt. Sobaek in Korea inferred from morphology and flavonoid chemistry.
Species of Aconitum subgn. Aconitum show very
complicated patterns of morphological variation, resulting in
confusion in delimiting species boundaries and in determining their
relationships. Also, interspecific hybridization is relatively common
in subgn. Aconitum, and many intermediated forms possibly
derived from interspecific hybridization and introgressive
hybridization have been reported. In the present study, we have
examined the morphology and the flavonoid chemistry of putative hybrid
populations of Aconitum subgn. Aconitum at Mt. Sobaek in
southern Korea to understand the origin and structure of these
populations. Five major morphological types were found among the
individuals of these populations. Fourteen flavonoid compounds were
isolated and identified from these populations at Mt. Sobaek
representing these five morphological types. Characteristics of
flavonoid profiles of the five morph types parallel the relationships
suggested by the morphological evidence. In addition, the distribution
pattern of flavonoid compounds among the individuals of the five morph
types suggested that hybridization events involving at least three
taxa probably occurred in these populations at Mt. Sobaek.
Key words: Aconitum subgn. Aconitum, Flavonoid chemistry, Hybridization, Introgression