A study of floristic-ecologic diversity and electrophoresis pattern of seed storage proteins in Verbascum speciosum in the West and North-West of Iran

The country Iran is one of the most important centers for diversity of the genus Verbascum. This study was carried out to determinate intraspecific diversity of the V. speciosum populations collected from East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kordestan, Kermanshah and Hamedan provinces. With using the D.S.S. method seventeen special habitats were determined for V. speciosum and floristic-ecologic data collected from each special habitat. Seed storage proteins were subjected for electrophoresis studies. In the survey of all special stations, 109 plant species were distinguished as associated species. As the result of analysis of floristic data, as floristic marker, four groups were determined that this grouping is distinguished the existence of intraspecific diversity in V. speciosum. Analysis of ecologic data was also confirmed the above mentioned grouping. The analysis of seed storage protein banding pattern showed four quite obvious groups. In the survey of electrophoresis pattern, existence of differences regarding number and density of the protein bands indicating existence of intraspecific diversity in the populations of V. speciosum. Therefore in this species, the grouping that introduced with floristic marker, mostly confirmed also with ecological and electrophoresis markers. This means that floristic grouping can only be used as a cost-effective and efficient method for studying of intraspecific diversity.