t a good model species for apomixis research: (1) the small genome size of 1C = 0.650 pg (http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/cval/database1.html); (2) its use as medicinal plant; (3) the availability of a large number of various ecotypes (even in the case that several of the studied 113 accessions may be duplicates as a consequence of seed exchange between botanical gardens); (4) the high degree of polymorphism as to its mode of reproduction; (5) a relatively short generation time; (6) the self-compatibility as well as easy crossability; and (7) the high seed number within single ovaries.