Iridoid glucosides of the genus Veronica s.l. and their systematic significance

 The mode of reproduction, pollen production, chromosome numbers, genetic variation (RAPD, allozymes) and overall similarity were studied in 6 species of Hieracium sect. Alpina in the Tatry Mts. (the Western Carpathians, Slovakia). All species were confirmed to be agamospermous and, except of H. krivanense and H. slovacum, lacking pollen grains. For the first time, a chromosome number is reported for H. krivanense (2n=4x=36). Considerable genetic variation was revealed in H. alpinum and a correlation between geographic and genetic distances was found in this species. Between-population variation in RAPD and allozyme phenotypes was found in H. pinetophilum and H. crassipedipilum. In all other species, allozyme and RAPD variation was low or absent. With few exceptions, the species differ in their allozyme as well as RAPD patterns. The relatedness of one population of endemic H. slovacum and H. halleri was confirmed. It is shown, that Carpathian species of the H. fritzei group are derived from at least two ancestors. Received July 3, 2000; accepted June 24, 2002 Published online: November 20, 2002 Addresses of the authors: H. Štorchová, (e-mail: storchova@ueb.cas.cz) Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rozvojová 135, CZ-165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic. I. V. Bartish, J. Chrtek Jr., J. Kirschner, M. Tetera, J. Štěpánek, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-252 43 Pruhonice, Czech Republic.