Morphological and allozyme diversity in the Hieracium nigrescens group (Compositae) in the Sudety Mountains and the Western Carpathians

The overall pattern of morphological variation and genetic diversity (allozyme analysis) was studied in the Hieracium nigrescens group ( H. nigrescens s.l. , H. alpinum  ≥  H. murorum ) in the Sudety Mountains and the Western Carpathians. A morphological analysis was performed on 180 plants from 12 populations belonging to six a priori distinguished taxa. Altogether, 25 characters were measured or scored. Morphometric (canonical discriminant analysis) data separated five taxa, evaluated here at the species rank: H. chrysostyloides, H. decipiens, H. nigrescens (all from the Sudety Mountains), H. jarzabczynum, and H. vapenicanum (the Western Carpathians). A distinct local population from Mount Babia hora (the Western Carpathians) comprised a further possible taxon, given the preliminary name ‘ H. babiagorense ’. Genetic diversity was studied in 17 populations of H. chrysostyloides, H. decipiens, H. jarzabczynum , H. nigrescens , H. vapenicanum and ‘ H. babiagorense ’ using five enzyme systems. All a priori recognized species were proved to be genetically homogeneous, each consisting of one unique multilocus allozyme genotype, except ‘ H. babiagorense ’ which shared the same genotype with H. jarzabczynum . For the first time, a chromosome number is reported for H. vapenicanum (2 n  = 3x = 27) and previously published numbers were confirmed for H. chrysostyloides (2 n  = 5x = 45), H. decipiens (2 n  = 4x = 36), H. jarzabczynum (2 n  = 4x = 36), H. koprovanum (2 n  = 4x = 36), and H. nigrescens (2 n  = 4x = 36). All species have been shown to be endemic to either the Sudety Mountains or the Western Carpathians. Except for the species studied, two further ones ( H. apiculatum, H. nivimontis ) are recognized in the area, giving a total of seven species from the Hieracium nigrescens group in the area studied. The morphologically slightly different local population from Mount Babia hora/Babia Góra (‘ H. babiagorense ’) requires further study. Two new combinations are proposed: Hieracium jarzabczynum (Pawł. & Zahn) Mráz & Chrtek f. and Hieracium vapenicanum (Lengyel & Zahn) Chrtek f. & Mráz. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 287–300.