Patterns of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Clonal Herb,Potentilla fragarioides var. sprengeliana (Rosaceae) in Korea

The genetic diversity and population structure of Potentilla fragarioides var. sprengeliana(Rosaceae) in Korea were investigated using genetic variation at 22 allozyme loci. The percent of polymorphic loci within the enzymes was 59.1%. The genetic diversity at the species level and at the population level was high (Hes=0.210; Hep=0.199, respectively), whereas the extent of the population divergence was relatively low (GST=0.074). FIS, a measure of the deviation from random mating within the 19 populations, was 0.331. An indirect estimate of the number of migrants per generation (Nm=3.15) indicates that gene flow is high among Korean populations of the species. In addition, analysis of fixation indices revealed a slight heterozygote deficiency in some populations and at some loci. The mean genetic identity between populations was 0.985. It is highly probable that the trend of genetic uniformity in a relatively homogeneous habitat is thought to be operated among Korean populations of P. fragarioides var.sprengeliana.