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2012 Archive
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Author(s): Betsaida Chavez Garcia , Don Mansfield
Presentation: poster
The onion genus (Allium) is notoriously complex with 13 species in southwestern Idaho. During the summer of 2011 we found three populations of an onion in Owyhee County, ID, that appeared outside of the range of normal variation of known species. I measured 20 morphological characters in herbarium specimens of six Allium species and the anomalous specimens. Multivariate data analyzed using Principal Components Analysis (PC-ORD) showed no clear separation of the anomalous specimens into what might be recognizable as distinct species. However, some analyses suggested possible hybridization between A. lemmonii and A. brandegei. Using SigmaPlot we were able to find no significant differences between the three anomalous populations in 13 significant characteristics, even if one was collected from a different site. This data shows no variation within the anomalous populations reinforcing the broad display of morphological characteristics which should be taken into consideration within A. lemmonii. Alternatively, A. lemmonii needs to be circumscribed more broadly in order for the unknown populations to be considered as A. lemmonii. In either case, a search for additional populations of the anomalous forms studied here is needed to permit further, more definitive study.
The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 8360 USA 208-459-5011 800-2C-IDAHO