The Formenkreis of Festuca valesiaca in South Tyrol
South Tyrol and especially the Vinsch Valley (Val Venosta) are among those parts of the Alps in which the Formenkreis (a group of related allopatric species or subspecies) of the Wallis Fescue (Festuca valesiaca agg.) has attained an extremely wide morphological range. In addition to the diploid F. valesiaca and the hexaploid F. rupicola, recently, even octoploid forms (F. bauzanina) have been discovered. Only very recently has it possible, on the basis of collections undertaken in the context of the floristic mapping and the investigations of S. Arndt of the University of Jena to determine even decaploid forms (F. guinochetii). The morphological delineation of clans among themselves and vis-à-vis species like F. brevipila and F. laevigata and their establishment of an ecological / phytosociological niche are the subjects of a joint project of the Museum of Nature and the University of Jena. The latter is in charge of the molecular-genetic investigations.