Data from the study Gene flow effects on populations inhabiting marginal areas: origin matters

Data from a conducted study on the effects of different gene flow provenance on marginal populations of Mediterranean alpine Silene ciliata Pourret (Caryophyllaceae) replicated in three mountain ranges of Central Spain. We experimentally tested the effect of three different types of pollen-mediated gene flow on germination rate, seedling size and survival rate in marginal populations and assessed their effects by establishing in situ common gardens. The three different types of pollen-mediated gene flow were; within marginal population, and between marginal-marginal and optimal-marginal populations. To further assess the evolutionary potential of marginal populations, we performed a reciprocal sowing experiment and measured the same fitness components to determine the extent of local adaptation.