NATURAL HYBRIDIZATION AMONG FOUR SPECIES OF BAPTISIA (LEGUMINOSAE)

Abstract

A lston , R. E., and B. L. T urner . (U. Texas, Austin.) Natural hybridization among four species of Baptisia (Leguminosae). Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(2): 159–173. Illus. 1963.— Interspecific hybridization involving 4 species of Baptisia ( B. leucophaea, B. sphaerocarpa, B. nuttalliana, and B. leucantha ) has been studied by means of extensive field work and subsequent morphological and chromatographic analyses. As a result of these studies, numerous hybridizing populations involving any 2, 3 and, in 1 instance, 4 species have been located. Near Dayton, Texas, all 4 species and all 6 of the possible 2‐way hybrid combinations have been found in a single field. Approximately 125 different chemical compounds have now been detected in the 4 species. Many of these compounds serve as species specific markers useful in the validation of specific hybrid types. Hybrids between B. leucophaea and B. sphaerocarpa and between B. leucophaea and B. nuttalliana are numerous, and in these large hybrid swarms a chromatographic and morphological analysis of population structure is possible. The former combination provides an excellent opportunity for the utilization of chemical markers as criteria for introgressive hybridization. The hybrid B. leucantha × B. sphaerocarpa is frequently encountered and contains a large number of compounds species‐specific for one or the other parental species. The other 3 hybrid types have been found infrequently. Certain hybrid types are generally similar morphologically (e.g., B. leucantha × B. sphaerocarpa as opposed to B. leucantha × B. nuttalliana ), and chromatographic techniques are of great value in the absolute identification of such plants, especially in complex populations where backcrossing further complicates the interpretation of the background of a plant from exomorphic features alone.