 Not,
or shallowly,
lobed
Sphaeralcea munroana
 Deeply
lobed
Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia
Sphaeralcea parvifolia
Sphaeralcea coccinea
Sphaeralcea munroana
Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia
Sphaeralcea munroana
Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia
 Morphological variation –
Principal Components Analysis
 Genetic variation –
Amplified Fragment Length
Polymorphism
Type
Specimens
› Type S. coccinea – 8
› Type S. grossulariifolia – 5
› Type S. munroana – 3
› Type S. parvifolia - 17
S. coccinea
S.
grossulariifolia
S. munroana
S. parvifolia
10.63a
14.67a
8.72a
14.02a
19.88a
25.53a
22.44a
20.55a
3.31b
4.67b
3.72b
10.60a
13.08a
17.47a
14.33a
14.14a
2.56b
3.57b
2.78b
8.30a
Lobe-depth (mm)*
0.97a
0.83a
0.51b
0.22c
Max. number of
flower/ node*
1.00b
5.20a
4.33a
5.59a
Pedicel length (mm)
3.08a
2.90a
2.89a
2.99a
Calyx length (mm)
6.67a
5.73a
5.89a
6.54a
Petal length (mm)
12.33a
11.73a
11.00a
11.65a
Character
Petiole length (mm)
Mid-lobe length
(mm)
Mid-lobe width
(mm)*
Secondary-lobe
length (mm)
Secondary-lobe
width (mm)*
Morphological Traits
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Petiole length (mm)
0.6093
-0.1236
0.5630
Mid-lobe length (mm)
-1.2335
-0.3611
-0.9685
Mid-lobe width (mm)
1.1507
-1.6038
0.8345
Secondary lobe length (mm)
0.2947
1.4056
0.8925
Secondary lobe width (mm)
0.6142
-0.3122
0.1624
Lobe depth (mm)
-2.5134
-1.2082
1.1876
Number of flower per node
0.3356
1.0642
0.0845
Pedicle length (mm)
0.4761
-0.1044
0.0343
Calyx length (mm)
0.4654
-0.1782
-0.3516
Petal length (mm)
-0.5647
-0.1586
-0.0607
% variation
92.3100
6.1600
1.5300

Model used to confirm identity of field
collections for subsequent AFLP.
Type specimen
Herbarium specimen
S.
S.
S.
S.
coccinea grossulariifolia munroana parvifolia
S. coccinea
93.75%
6.25%
-
-
S. grossulariifolia
75.00%
12.50%
12.5%
-
S. munroana
-
-
-
100.00%
S. parvifolia
-
-
-
100.00%
(a)
k=2
(b)
k=3
(c)
k=4
Cluster
analysis of
amplified
fragment
length
polymorphisms
c: coccinea
g: grossulariifolia
m: munroana
p: parvifolia
(a) Morphological data
 Morphological
(b) Genetic data, AFLP
and genetic
data support
existence of
two main
groups
 S. parvifolia
splits into two
subgroups.
S. munroana
S. parvifolia
Box Elder
Rich
Cache
Weber
Morgan
Davis
Daggett
Summit
Salt Lake
Tooele
Wasatch
Duchesne
Utah
Uintah
Juab
Carbon
Sanpete
Grand
Millard
Emery
Sevier
Beaver
Wayne
Piute
Iron
Garfield
San Juan
Washington
Kane
Sphaeralcea coccinea is a distinct
species. The presence of a single flower
per node is characteristic.
 Sphaeralcea munroana and S. parvifolia
may be ecotypes of a single species.
They can be differentiated from S.
coccinea by having an entire leaf
shape.
 Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia does not
appear to be distinct.

 Ecological: Seed
source location
important for restoration
purposes.
 Horticultural: Genetic stability
required for reliable landscape
performance.
 Steve
Larson – USDA ARS, Utah
State University
 Roger Kjelgren – Plants, Soils &
Climate, Utah State University
 Many others too numerous to
mention….
S. coccinea
S. grossulariifolia