| Abstract: | Molecular genetic and morphometric studies of the tall and dwarf forms of the Siberian crabapple, which grow on the territory of Buryatia, were carried out. A phylogenetic analysis based on six highly polymorphic microsatellite loci showed that the dwarf form descends from the tall forms of Malus baccata and both studied forms belong to the same species of Siberian crabapple. Based on the obtained data, we propose that the dwarf form is an ecological form of the Siberian crabapple and possibly represents an initial stage of parapatric speciation. |
