Investigations of the Forgotten Geum: Genetic Diversity and Population Biology of Geum Geniculatum Michaux, Bent Avens
INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FORGOTTEN GEUM: GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION BIOLOGY OF GEUM GENICULATUM MICHAUX, BENT AVENS. A Thesis by MARIETTA DAY SHATTELROE Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies at Appalachian State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December 2019 Department of Biology INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FORGOTTEN GEUM: GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION BIOLOGY OF GEUM GENICULATUM MICHAUX, BENT AVENS. A Thesis by MARIETTA DAY SHATTELROE December 2019 APPROVED BY: Matt C. Estep Chairperson, Thesis Committee Jennifer Rhode Ward Member, Thesis Committee Ray Williams Member, Thesis Committee Zack Murrell Chairperson, Department of Biology Mike McKenzie, Ph.D. Dean, Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies Copyright by Marietta Day Shattelroe 2019 All Rights Reserved Abstract INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FORGOTTEN GEUM: GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION BIOLOGY OF GEUM GENICULATUM MICHAUX, BENT AVENS. Marietta Day Shattelroe A.S. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College B.S. University of North Carolina Asheville Chairperson: Matt C. Estep Geum geniculatum Michx. (Roseaceae), bent avens, is a perennial herb restricted to the high elevations (>1200 m) of three mountaintops between North Carolina and Tennessee (Weakley, 2015). Because of its limited geographic distribution and affinity for high elevations, it is thought to belong to a group of plants endemic to the southern Appalachians that are considered post-Pleistocene relicts along with other rare species: Geum radiatum (spreading avens), Liatris helleri (Heller’s blazing star), Solidago spithamea (Blue Ridge goldenrod) and Calamagrostis cainii (Cain’s reedgrass; Wiser, 1994). It is an erect plant growing to almost 1 meter in height, with a basal rosette of trifoliate, pinnately compound, or simple leaves and the cauline leaves on the flowering stems have varying leaf shape from simple to trifoliate (Oakley, 1991).
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