Photo Copyright © 1999 by B. Johnston
Astragalus anisus (Fabaceae) is a narrow endemic of the Gunnison Valley in Gunnison, CO. Federal agencies consider A. anisus a potentially sensitive plant in need of further biological study. Starch gel electrophoresis was performed to glean information on the genetic structure of A. anisus. The results show that A. anisus maintains a larger amount of genetic variability than that generally found in other narrow endemics. The average number of alleles per locus (A) in A. anisus was 2.1 while the literature shows endemics to exhibit an A of 1.8. The proportion of polymorphic loci (P) in A. anisus was 0.80 while existing information on other endemics showed a P of 0.40. FST values indicate limited levels of population differentiation. Conservationists may use this information to make effective decisions regarding protection and management of A. anisus.