Genetic and macromorphologic evidence bearing on the evolution of members of Carex section Vesicariae (Cyperaceae) and their natural hybrids
A comparison of genetic distances between the short-beaked species (C. saxatilis, C. membranacea, and C. rotundata) and some long-beaked species (C. utriculata, C. rostrata, and C. vesicaria) of Carex section Vesicariae indicates that the short-beaked group is not monophyletic. Carex saxatilis is closely related to C. vesicaria, while C. membranacea and C. rotundata are related to C. utriculata. It is proposed that C. saxatilis is derived from a vesicaria-like ancestor, while C. membranacea and C. rotundata have evolved from a utriculata-like progenitor. Taxa identified as hybrids between various short- and long-beaked species are intermediate in morphology, heterozygous for diagnostic loci (which exhibited a high frequency of alternative alleles in the putative parents), and often sterile. On the basis of the evidence presented the following hybrids are recognized: C. × paludivagans (C. rotundata × utriculata); C. × stenolepis (incl. C. × grahamii, C. × mainensis, C. × anticostensis; C. saxatilis × vesicaria); C. × physocarpoides (C. saxatilis × utriculata); and C. membranacea × utriculata. Key words: Carex, evolution, hybridization, systematics, morphology, isozymes.