1 02 Phytologia (Aug 2004) 86(2) 



49 cm. Fifteen scapes for Kisatchie National Forest plants ranged from 

 26 cm to 50 cm and averaged 39 cm. 



DISCUSSION 



Being a disjunct and scattered species in the West Gulf Coastal Plain, 

 P. grandifolia presents an interesting subject for biogeographic studies. 

 Do these scattered populations represent remnants of once continuous 

 populations clinging on after the Ice Age or are they recent long distance 

 colonizers or re-colonizers (see map in MacRoberts et al. 1997)? While 

 no one has assessed genetic and morphological variation within and 

 between West Gulf Coastal Plain populations, we noted several striking 

 variations among populations including flowering period, habitat 

 preference, and size of plants. These variations may indicate significant 

 genetic differences evolved in isolation. 



Parnassia grandifolia is not the only member of this genus to 

 have disjunct populations in our region: P. asarifolia is also disjunct 

 (McDaniel et al. 1997; MacRoberts et al. 1997). Thus, the genus might 

 serve as an interesting subject for genetic study, with the ultimate aim 

 of testing different biogeographic hypotheses as Watson et al. (2002) 

 has recently done for Eriocaulon koernickianum . The results of these 

 studies, in turn, would have implications for conservation priorities and 

 for understanding the development of the West Gulf Coastal Plain flora. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The research was supported by National Forest Foundation Cost- 

 share Agreement No. 08-99-06-CCS-008. Steve Leonard and Julia 

 Moore, The Nature Conservancy, Camp Shelby, showed us Mississippi 

 sites. Connie Taylor aided with relocating the Oklahoma site. Jason 

 Singhurst and Eric Keith commented on an earlier version of the paper. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Eakes, C.B. 1989. Studies on the life history and habitat of the Bogstar 

 {Parnassia grandifolia DC.) in south Mississippi. MS Thesis, 

 University Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 



