ABSTRACT:

Four species complexes in Cryptocoryne were included in a study of genetic diversity: The C. beckettii complex (Sri Lanka), the C. crispatula complex (Mainland Asia), and selected accessions from the di- and polyploid cordate leaved species from Malesia, altogether comprising 400+ accessions. The Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) method was discriminative not only within but also between species complexes. Within the cordate leaved Malesian species, it was also possible to discriminate between diploids, tetraploids and hexaploids forming very robust relationship groupings. The AFLP study also revealed that, geographical proximity exposed closer genetical relationship than morphologically similar accessions geographically apart.