XVI International Botanical Congess
There are 72 species in the former Soviet Union territory that belong to the genus Elymus L. according to recent data (Czerepanov, 1995). As estimated 28 species at least have SH-genomic constitution, 22 of which are distributed in Siberia and the Russian Far East. Living material of 20 species was collected in the wild and areas under anthropogenic effect and cultivated in the greenhouse and outdoors. 4 taxa (E. charkeviczii Probat., E. ircutensis Pesch., E. viridiglumis (Nevski) Czer., and E. sajanensis (Nevski) Tzvel.) were studied for the first time. Inter- and intraspecific hybridization in different combinations was carried out under electrophoretic control. The results have shown that 5 species were recognized on the basis of diagnostic characters which were controlled by 1-2 genes. Reproductive properties and relationships between some European, North American and Siberian taxa are discussed from the point of the principle of Recombination and Introgression Gene Pools.