Systematics of Sphagnum section Sphagnum in New Zealand:: a microsatellite-based analysis

The systematics of Sphagnum section Sphagnum in New Zealand has been controversial. Two species are currently recognised in the New Zealand flora, S. cristatum and S. perichaetiale, but the presence of the widespread S. magellanicum has been debated. An analysis of 16 microsatellite loci shows that the gametophytes of Sphagnum perichaetiale appear to have one monoploid set of chromosomes (i.e., are haploid). Fixed heterozygosity at 10 loci indicates that S. cristatum is an alloploid. A red morphotype of S. cristatum, similar in macro-appearance to S. magellanicum, is not genetically differentiated from the more common brown-green morphotypes of S. cristatum. Although analysis of the microsatellite data for S. cristatum showed most of the genetic variation to be within populations, significant variation did occur among populations within regions and also between regions.