The Lonely Life of a Champion Tree, Aesculus glabra

Seedlings derived from two Ohio buckeyes (Aesculus glabra Willd.) trees, the National Champion growing in Illinois, USA, and State were sampled. The grows at northern limits of species’ native range. Huron County, Ohio, well within eastern range species. We also sampled 40 adult trees Illinois. All genotyped six microsatellite loci. found that 42 44 seedlings (95%) tree, collected over seasons, exhibited only maternal alleles all loci, indicating they produced by self-fertilization. In contrast, state champion tree (N = 48) non-maternal alleles, outcrossing. Our results suggest when outcross pollen is not available, A. will self-fertilize, but does so rarely or never available. Seed germination early survival similar for progeny both champions, show lower growth rates higher mortality during a spring frost, possibly due to inbreeding depression. There was little evidence genetic structure between