Variability of Anthoxanthum species in Poland in relation to geographical-historical and environmental conditions: morphological and anatomical variation

Abstract

Abstract:Three Anthoxanthum species are found in Poland: the native A. odoratum L. s. str. and A. alpinum Á. Löve & D. Löve, and the alien A. aristatum Boiss. Major problems within this genus concern: (1) population variation of the native A. odoratum, representing various phases of ecological expansion to anthropogenic habitats; (2) population variation of A. odoratum and A. alpinum along the altitudinal transect; and (3) variation between populations of A. aristatum colonizing new areas and habitats outside its natural range of distribution (chorological expansion). In this study, morphological and anatomical variation of the three Polish Anthoxanthum species was analysed in detail. The variation of A. odoratum and A. aristatum was analysed in respect of environmental differences: habitat types and soil parameters. In the Babia Góra massif, variability distribution along the altitudinal transect was analysed for two vicariants: A. odoratum and A. alpinum. A odoratum in this massif does not cross the upper forest limit (i.e. forest line), and lower montane populations are morphologically very similar to lowland populations. Morphological and anatomical differences were detected between populations of A. alpinum along the altitudinal transect in the Babia Góra massif, with distinct upper montane populations. Moreover, clear morphological differences were found between the two altitudinal vicariants. Lowland populations of A. odoratum are characterized by great morphological variation, only weakly correlated with the type of occupied habitat and the phase of ecological expansion. The detected morphological variation reflects only to a limited extent the environmental variation of occupied habitats, and is not significantly correlated with the phase of chorological expansion. Some soil parameters are significantly correlated with some morphological characters studied in all the Anthoxanthum species. The analysed anatomical features of stems and leaves show continuous variation in the three species.

Variability of the inflorescence morphology of Carex spicata (Cyperaceae) and its implication to taxonomy

“…C. oederi (Więcław ) and representatives of the C. flava group (Więcław ) as well as in C. ligerica and C. arenaria (Urbaniak , Urbaniak et al ), as well as in grasses such as Anthoxanthum spp. (Drapikowska ), Anthoxanthum amarum (Pimentel and Sahuquillo ), Elymus repens (Szczepaniak , ) or Hordeum murinum (Mizianty ). Results of some of these studies indicate a greater or lesser influence of environmental factors, or geographical distance, on the nature and range of this variation.…”

Genetic variability of Anthoxanthum aristatum Boiss. (Poaceae) at the non-native range limit

“…aristatum shows considerable morphological variability and genetic differentiation in both its native and non-native ranges (Pimentel et al 2010;Drapikowska 2013;Drapikowska et al 2013). Its ability to colonize various non-native habitats in Poland may result from a high level of polymorphic isozyme loci and high morphological variability previously observed in A. aristatum populations from Central and western Poland (Drapikowska et al 2012;Drapikowska 2013).…”