Dissertation Research: Systematics and Evolution in Calochortus (Liliaceae)

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Graduate student Bryan Ness, under the supervision of faculty adviser Dr. Douglas Soltis of Washington State University, will study several species groups in the mariposa lily genus, Calochortus. Morphological, biochemical and chromosomal diversity in the genus pose challenging problems for the recognition of species and the determination of evolutionary relationships among them. Mr. Ness will employ modern molecular methods for analysis of isozymes and of ribosomal and chloroplast DNA in order to measure genomic differences between species, and to determine progenitor species for the high-chromosome number(polyploid) taxa. Biochemical data will be integrated with morphological and chromosomal information in an updated taxonomic treatment of these western North American plants. The combination of several analytical approaches in the study of evolutionary diversity constitutes a model program of systematic research.