LEE, NAM SOOK, YOUNGBAE SUH, SUNGHEE YEAU, AND SANGTAE LEE.* Department of Biological Science, Ewha Womans University, , Seoul, Korea 120-750. - The Morphological and genetic analyses of Korean Adonis.
Adonis amurensis is the only species traditionally known in Korea.
The identity has been doubted because of its conspicuous geographical
variations. This morphological and genetic study revealed that the
Korean Adonis comprises three species. Morphologically A. amurensis,
is well distinguished from the others by having the bifurcated main
axis of pinnately compound leaves, no branch of the stem, and similar
to longer sepals than petals, whereas A. pseudoamurensis having about
5 petals and the acute tip of dissected pinnae is distinguished from
A. multiflora having 8 petals and the acuminate tip. Genetic
variations based on 19 isozyme loci revealed that A. multiflora was
distinguished from the others by Tpi, whereas A. amurensis from A.
pseudoamurensis by Mdh. The least amount of genetic variability was
found in A. multiflora. On the basis of chromosome number, A. ramosa
which was once reported does not seem to exist in Korea.
Key words: chromosome, isozyme, Korean Adonis, morphology