Article

The results of karyological and isoenzymatic analyses carried out to verify the hybrid status of Hieracium symphytifolium proposed by Zahn and to evaluate the within population genetic variability of this taxon are reported. The purposed parents of H. symphytifolium i.e. H. lucidum and H. crinitum and, in addition, H. pignattianum were also examined. The karyological analyses showed that H. symphytifolium is tetraploid (2_n_=36) while the H. crinitum is triploid (2_n_=27). Concerning the isoenzymatic analysis, 13 loci from 8 systems (ADH, IDH, LAP, MDH, 6PGD, PGI, PGM and SKD) were examined. A total of 23 alleles were recognised, 20 of them in H. symphytifolium one of them exclusive. H. symphytifolium shows the largest genetic distance from H. lucidum. Considering these results, the geographical distribution relevant and some remarkable morphological characters with respect to the assumed parents, the hybrid origin of H. symphytifolium from H. lucidum and H. crinitum is not confirmed.