Absence of hybridisation between Fuscospora species at a site in Arthur's Pass National Park, New Zealand

Abstract

We analysed simple sequence repeat markers for a selection of red beech (Fuscospora fusca) and mountain beech (Fuscospora cliffortioides) trees growing together and for seeds collected from them. Our analysis detected neither hybrid trees nor hybrid seeds within our sample. We suggest pre-zygotic reproductive isolating mechanisms such as differences in flowering time may be important in maintaining boundaries between Fuscospora species despite extensive sympatry.