Abstract

E. risdonii is a rare Tasmanian endemic which occurs as a series of small disjunct populations within a more-or-less continuous population of a closely related species, E. amygdalina. In localized areas (e.g. Risdon, Tasmania), patches of high phenotypic diversity are encountered, with individuals encompassing the complete phenotypic range between these two species. Progeny trials indicate a large heritable component to this variation. Open-pollinated progenies from intermediate mothers exhibit greater variability than those from either pure species, which strongly suggests that these intermediate phenotypes are a result of hybridization. Progenies from pure species mothers near a hybrid swarm are more variable than those from pure stands. There is a greater proportion of seedlings which match the artificially produced F₁ in open-pollinated progenies from E. amygdalina than from E. risdonii mothers. In addition, progenies from intermediate mothers show a bias toward E. risdonii types, which implies that they are predominantly outcrossing to E. risdonii. This evidence suggests an asymmetrical flow of genes by pollen migration from E. risdonii into the hybrid swarm and surrounding E. amygdalina.

Little difference in seedling vigour or mortality occurred between seedlings from the various parental phenotypes, although differences in seed output per capsule and germination were apparent. The specific identity of E. risdonii and E. amygdalina is usually maintained in parapatry by a range of mechanisms including their specific ecological preference, reduced hybrid fitness and differences in flowering phenology. The reasons for the major zones of hybridization occurring at boundaries on ridge tops as opposed to those on the dry slopes are discussed.