Plant Diversity ›› 2009, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 1-7.DOI: 10.3724 SP.J.1143.2009.08084

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Karyotypes of Fifteen Populations of Four Species in Maianthemum (Liliaceae) from Southwestern China

TANG Zi-Hui1 , 2 , GAO Yun-Dong1, ZHOU Song-Dong1 , HE Xing-Jin1   

  1. 1 College of Life Science, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610064 , China ; 2 Chengdu Industry College , Chengdu 610081 , China
  • Received:2008-05-06 Online:2009-02-25 Published:2009-02-25

Abstract: Fifteen populations of four species of Maianthemum from southwestern China were analyzed in terms of base number , polyploidy, dysploidy , chromosome size , chromosome morphology , satellited chromosomes , structural heteromorphism, and karyotype asymmetry and karyotype evolution . The results show that 1) chromosomal number of all the species examined is 2 n = 36 , with M. tatsienensis (Population Lijiang , Yunnan) as an exceptional case of which the chromosomal number is 2 n = 72 ; 2) karyotypes show difference among populations, especially in the numbers of metacentric , submetacentric, and acrocentric chromosomes as well as satellites. The karyotypes of M. nanchuanense and M. szechuanicum are documented the first time . B- chromosome is discovered in this genus the first time, too . It is inferred that the evolutionary mechanisms in the genus Maianthemum include the frequent somatic chromosome aberration and the polyploidy at various
levels , and that the southwestern China is one of the differentiation centers of this genus .

Key words: Chromosome

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