Genetic variation of the relict and endangered population of Chamaedaphne calyculata (Ericaceae) in Poland

Chamaedaphne calyculata is rare and endangerded species of Polish flora. The genetic variation within and among ten polish population of leatherleaf was analysed by ISSR and ISJ markers. The analysis revealed a total of 160loci with an average of 13.3 bands per primer. We expected a low level of genetic diversity of this narrowly distributed species in Poland, but our results indicate that Ch. calyculata revealed a high level of genetic diversity at species level (P=88.7%of polymorphic loci, AE=1.468, HE=0.290). At the population level, the variation of Ch. calyculata was significantly lower (P=27.6%, AE=1.140, HE=0.098). There was significant correlation between ecological properties (population size; number of flowering ramets) and genetic diversity parameters. Analysis of molecular variance showed that most of variation (62%) in Ch. calyculata occurred among population. Gene flow (Nm) between the ten studied populations, determined based on the GST index, was very low at 0.239. It indicated that the fragmentation and isolation of populations might result from specific evolutionary history of this plant and postglacial recolonization