![switchgrass, Panicum virgatum switchgrass, Panicum virgatum](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbxk_Cwuq6jQpHX5OXldfnxJFM5rL89dwSnq8MKYrhsQhYQcl5YKtyDNGx37m9EoCw7hoxUnaGlL5P__ucCUxjH9hPWwpoPElCM60ke8VKNKiicOIzl9BTMwSQr9bf2E4g8CGOxbff_7YkxnTQXkI6lwLs5QfPvrEb1lTGkSyKukbqRBuNeUt0sF6PEc/w391-h400/P8300004.JPG) |
switchgrass, Panicum virgatum, famous autopolyploid |
Polyploidy is whole genome duplication, uncommon in animals, but common in plant evolution, between living plant species and in individuals within plant species. (See previous blogs
link). Although it is actually a continuum, botanists recognize allopolyploidy, when the genomes that duplicated come from two different species and autopolyploidy when a single genome doubles. This post is about autopolyploids.