[en] The morphological differentiation of coastal populations of various plant species has led to the definition of new taxa without addressing the basis of such differentiation. In this study we analyze the possible relationship between the morphological differences of two subspecies of Silene latifolia (S.latifolia subsp. latifolia, with a broad-ecological spectrum, and S. latifolia subsp. mariziana, a cliff-dwelling plant ) and the epigenetic patterns of methylation ;.Seeds and leaves of three populations belonging to both subspecies were collected. Leaves were used to obtain DNA while seeds were planted under common conditions in a greenhouse. Phylogenetic and nuclear DNA content showed no role of genetics to explain differences between the two subspecies of Silene latifolia. However, the morphometric analysis of the cultivated plants indicated that the morphological differences are maintained in the common garden, suggesting a role for genetic inheritance or for long-term epigenetic inheritance but rules out the possibility that differences are due to phenotypic plasticity. An epigenetic analysis using the methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique allowed us to detect statistically significant differences between the methylation patterns of the greenhousegrown seedlings from both populations. Also, differences were detected between adult S. latifolia subsp. mariziana plants and their seedlings. No statistically significant differentiation was observed in the overall pattern of methylation between reproductive adults of the two morphs. Although the method was successful in detecting differences in methylation patterns between populations, more specific epigenetic methods will have to be applied in order to build on this study and offer more conclusive results.

[gl] teñen levado á definición de novos taxóns sen atender á base do devandito mecanismo de diferenciación. Neste traballo de fin de grado estudo a posible relación entre as diferencias fenotípicas de dúas subespecies de Silene latifolia (Silene latifolia; subsp. latifolia, de amplo espectro, e subsp. mariziana, propia de cantís costeros e illas) e os patróns epixenéticos de metilación. Para a realización do estudo recolléronse sementes e follas de tres poboacións pertencentes a ambas subespecies. As follas empregáronse para a obtención de DNA mentres que as sementes platáronse baixo condicións comúns. Os estudos filoxenéticos e de volume de DNA realizados descartaron o papel de xenética coma causante das diferencias entre as dúas subespecies de S. latifolia. Sen embargo,a a análise morfométrica das plantas cultivadas indicou que as diferenzas morfolóxicas mantéñense na F1 no xardín común o suxire un papel da herencia xenética o de herencia epixenética a longo prazo, mais descarta que as diferencias sean debidas a plasticidade fenotípica. A análise epixenética realizouse empregando a técnica de amplificación de polimorfismos sensible á metilación (MSAP). Esta técnica permitiu detectar diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre os patróns de metilación de plántulas das dúas especies criadas en invernadeiro e entre adultos de Silene latifolia subsp. mariziana y os seus descendentes, mais non se atoparon diferencias estadisticamente significativas no patrón global de metilación entre adultos reprodutores dos dous morfos. Se ben o método foi exitoso detectando diferencias en patróns de metilación, no futuro será necesario utilizar un maior tamaño muestral e mellorar a aproximación epixenética empregando técnicas máis precisas para obter resultados máis concluíntes.