A crossing program was carried out between the Kauai endemic
B. forbesii and six other Polynesian species, five of which are Hawaiian and one Marquesan. All crosses produced vigorous F
1 hybrids, portraying a strong genetic relationship between
B. forbesii and the other species. The results indicate a close systematic relationship among the Polynesian species of
Bidens placed by Sherff in sect.
Campylotheca and strengthen the argument that this group dispersed from North America to the Hawaiian Islands, then from Hawaii to the
Marquesas Islands.
Research supported by Grant GB 8608, National Science Foundation.