For decades, botanists and foragers have argued about whether wild ramps were one species or two. A new genetic study from Penn State Beaver has settled the question: they're two.
Researchers used advanced genetic tools called microsatellite markers to analyze ramp DNA and found enough variation to confirm a second distinct species, Allium burdickii, separate from the previously known Allium tricoccum. The work, published in PLOS ONE, is only the second genetic study of ramps ever conducted — and the first with tools precise enough to spot the difference.
"There has only been one other genetic study on ramps, and the tools used then were not high-enough resolution to identify the differences we found," said Sarah Nilson, the Penn State Beaver biologist who led the research. So far, Allium burdickii has only been found in southwestern Pennsylvania and states to the west.
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The discovery sounds academic, but it has real implications for how communities harvest and protect ramps. Ramps are more than a culinary ingredient — they're culturally significant to indigenous groups and Appalachian communities who've foraged them for generations. Understanding that there are two species with different genetic makeups means land managers and foragers can make better decisions about sustainable harvesting.
Nilson's team also found that the two species carry different amounts of genetic variation within their populations, which could affect how vulnerable each one is to overharvesting or environmental stress. That kind of detail matters when you're trying to keep a plant thriving across generations.
Nilson emphasizes that this research isn't meant to discourage foraging — it's meant to support it responsibly. She recommends waiting until ramps have fully sized up before harvesting, taking only what you need, and considering cultivation as a conservation tool. "Ramps are easy to grow if they have enough water and a shady forest site, so planting new ramps can help in conservation efforts," she said.
The research also highlights something less obvious: the value of having scientists rooted in the places they study. Nilson lives and works in southwestern Pennsylvania, which is where she found the initial Allium burdickii samples during fieldwork. "When you're actually rooted in a place, you know it better," she said. That local knowledge, combined with rigorous genetics, is what cracked a question that had lingered unresolved for years.
