Japanese-Siberian hybrids
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Japanese-Siberian hybrids
- From: B* S* <b*@tiger.hsc.edu>
- Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 07:02:32 -0700 (MST)
>Hi folks. Christy Hensler had sent me seven pictures of JI x SIB seedlings
>in December, which I've just now added to the corkboard. I apologize for
>the belatedness of this particular update, and I hope that the excitement
>on this topic has not entirely worn off. Drop by and have a look!
Before these seedlings are widely distributed I would strongly urge that
some kind of proof of their hybrid nature be established. While not
theoretically impossible, the cross is highly unlikely to have been made so
easily. The fact that some of the seedlings are obviously pure Siberian
and others obviously pure Japanese is extraordinary, not to say unique, and
it is hard to envision any genetic mechanism that would produce such a
result. Likewise the extensive fertility of the plants speaks against
their hybrid nature.
As I said earlier, I'm willing to be convinced but so far the evidence
seems to say that these are NOT true hybrids between the two sections.
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@hsc.edu>
