NFGEL 2000-2001 Annual Report

Lewisia kelloggii isozyme variation was studied in six Idaho and seven California populations. Lewisia kelloggii is polyploid, and was treated in analysis as an allotetraploid. The species is highly variable genetically (85% of loci polymorphic, 3.3 alleles per locus) and populations are highly differentiated (Fst = 0.77). All California and the Greencreek Lake populations are diverse, but most sampled Idaho populations have relatively little within-population variation. Isozyme data support the hypothesis that the Idaho and California populations may be two different, though related, species. For example, genetic identities between the Idaho and California populations (0.47 0.70) are typical of cogeneric species rather than conspecific populations.