In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes:
|
| There's many plant "species" with multiple cytotypes, and botanists
| historically have not commonly recognised cytotypes as species. (It
| seems to me that this attitude is beginning to change.)

Yes, I knew that, but I didn't know that that any included from diploid
to decaploid!

| For example the Lesser Celandine has (at least) three cytotypes -
| diploids (ssp. ficaria), tetraploids (ssp. bulbifera) and triploids.
| Contrary to Stace, I reckon this to be a clear case of two species - he
| says that triploids are completely sterile. (Compared to a couple of
| triploid mallow hybrids [sylvestris x durieui and alcea x moschata] I
| grow, which have seed set at about 0.5%.)

Yes. The question is how distinct they are, with interfertility being
the best criterion (but not the only one).

| The existence of multiple cytotypes suggests the existence of multiple
| species, but is not conclusive. I don't know of an unambiguous case of a
| plant species polymorphic for ploidy, but I wouldn't be surprised if
| there was one. ...

Nor would I, but it is not reasonable to state that such a plant is
definitely a single species, without confirmatory evidence of some sort.
Some scientists have great difficulty in using the word "probably",
let alone the word "possibly", with regard to their theories.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.