Abstract
Sarracenia purpurea var. montana and Sarracenia jonesii are two species of pitcher plants that are known to hybridize if in sympatry. The parent pitcher plants vary greatly in morphology and how they obtain nutrients, and these differences may cause the hybrid pitcher to be less suited for their environment. In this study, several morphological measurements of each type of pitcher are taken and analyzed to determine morphological differences within species using principle components analysis. Phytotelma communities were quantified in S. purpurea var. montana and the hybrids to determine trends in each of these pitcher’s endosymbiont communities. In completion of these measurement, it was found that S. purpurea var montana, S. jonesii, and their hybrids are distinct morphologically. Species richness and organism abundance were correlated with increased water volume in the pitcher and with the first principle component describing morphology. Size of the pitcher’s aperture was not found to significantly affect species richness or abundance.
How to Cite
Morgan, G. W., Jr., (2018) “Sarracenia purpurea var. montana and Sarracenia jonesii: A Study of Effects of Hybridization”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 31(2), 5/1/2019.
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