We are presenting a study on geographical parthenogenesis, an enigmatic and much disputed phenomenon. Based on a large sampling of natural populations of Ranunculus kuepferi, it is the first quantitative, population-based assessment of mode of reproduction throughout the Alps to test for correlations to elevation and to geographical distance patterns. Surprisingly, we found a high variance in the modes of reproduction among cytotypes and can give the first evidence of apomixis in diploid natural populations. Further, a significant correlation of ploidy to elevation was found, as well as the correlations of mode of reproduction to environmental gradients.