This study characterized the genetic variations of 13 populations of Asplenium antiquum and its relative species using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. A total 88 scorable RAPD bands were generated by the 12 random oligo primers and were analyzed by Nei and Li's genetic distance. High genetic variability was detected between A. antiquum and A. nidus, with the range from 0.568 to 0.682. And slightly low genetic variations showed within the populations of same species. Seven populations of A. antiquum showed slight differences (0.000-0.216), and five populations of A. nidus showed similar low genetic variations (0.114 to 0.171). Two individuals from Sup-seom Island which are growing in might be the regenerated one from abroad. A. antiquum were clustered as two groups (Group I, Group II) by UPGMA phenogram. And five populations of A. nidus were clustered as two groups correlated with geographical distribution. The RAPD data was very useful to define the genetic variations and to discuss the phylogenetic relationships among A. antiquum and the related species..

• Joo-Hwan Kim
• Kyoung-Hwan Tea