Davidsonia

Catling, P.M. 2003. Occurence of Hybrid Strawberries on the British Columbia Coastline Based on Identification of a Germplasm Collection. Davidsonia. 14(1):12-25

Approximately 1470 plants identified as Fragaria chiloensis from 123 sites throughout the coastal region of British Columbia have been grown at the Canadian Clonal Genebank in Smithfield, Ontario. Following cultivation for 3 years in a uniform garden the plants were identified on the basis of traditional subjective determination of leaf thickness, and other taxonomic characters were noted. Plants with leaves intermediate between F. chiloensis subsp. pacifica and F. virginiana subsp. glauca, referable to F. × ananassa nothosubsp. cuneifolia, occurred throughout the coastal region, but were particularly prevalent on the east and south sides of Vancouver Island. Plants with intermediate leaf thickness as well as other intermediate characteristics originated only from this latter region which corresponds to the Georgia-Puget Basin Ecoregion of the Pacific Maritime Ecozone. Plants referable to F. chiloensis subsp. pacifica with either thick leaves, or less thick leaves transitional toward the hybrid, originated from throughout much of the coastal region, with the notable exception of the central east and south sides of Vancouver Island, where the most distinct hybrids originated. Contrary to the viewpoint in many current texts, three taxa of Fragaria exist on the Pacific coast. Furthermore, many plants previously referred to F. chiloensis, may be better placed with F. × ananassa nothosubsp. cuneifolia or introgressants which appear to be frequent.