Variation in outcrossing rate and population genetic structure of Clarkia tembloriensis (Onagraceae).

Outcrossing rate estimates for eight accessions of Clarkia tembloriensis indicate that this annual plant species has a wide interpopulational range of outcrossing rate ([Formula: see text]). Populations' t estimates were significantly correlated with observed heterozygosity and mean number of alleles per locus. Estimated fixation indices, [Formula: see text], for most populations were very close to their expected values, Feq, for a given [Formula: see text] Nei's gene diversity statistics showed that the group of outcrossing populations have more total genetic variation and less differentiation among populations than does the group of selfing populations. These results indicate that the breeding system of C. tembloriensis has had a strong influence on the amount and distribution of genetic variation within and among its populations.