A TAXONOMIC STUDY OF WESTERN CANADIAN SPECIES IN THE GENUS BETULA

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Abstract
Five western North American birches, Betula fontinalis, B. glandulosa, B. glandulifera, B. resinifera, and B. papyrifera, are studied taxonomically. Four hybrids, B. × winteri, B. × sargentii, B. × arbuscula, and B. × uliginosa, are described for the first time and three others, B. × utahensis, B. × eastwoodae, and B. × sandbergii, are also included. Populations formed when species are in contact have been analyzed and the nature of several hybrid entities determined. B. × uliginosa results from B. resinifera × B. glandulifera. In this population, introgression is toward B. glandulifera, which has the higher chromosome number. B. glandulifera also hybridizes with B. glandulosa producing B. × sargentii. Most gene flow is toward B. glandulifera, which has the higher chromosome number. In B. glandulosa × B. fontinalis (B. × eastwoodae) introgression was little influenced by environmental selection, the hybrid was as common as either parental species, and any gene flow was in either direction. B. × utahensis results from B. papyrifera × B. fontinalis. Introgression is toward B. papyrifera. Hybridization of B. × sargentii and B. papyrifera produces B. × arbuscula, a rare hybrid. Hybridization of B. resinifera and B. papyrifera results in B. × winteri, with introgression in both directions. B. × sandbergii results from B. papyrifera × B. glandulifera. Probably as a result of environmental influence in the analysis area, introgression was toward B. glandulifera, with the lower chromosome number.