Meeting Abstract

P1.84  Sunday, Jan. 4  Investigating the Species Boundaries Between Platanthera zothecina and Platanthera sparsiflora MCCORMICK, S.K.; WILLIAMS, L.; AYERS, T.*; Arizona Western College; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University stephanie@mackrackit.com

The rare alcove bog orchid, Platanthera zothecina, has been recognized as a separate species from the widespread montane P. sparsiflora because P. zothecina has a larger column size, spur length, and larger, thicker leaves. We sequenced two different regions of DNA to test whether P. zothecina is, in fact, a distinct species from P. sparsiflora. Both regions showed little variation and grouped some populations of P. zothecina with populations of P. sparsiflora. The DNA data suggests that P. sparsiflora has adapted to low elevation springs in the desert multiple times and thus P. zothecina should more appropriately be treated as a low elevation subspecies instead of a distinct species.