CHROMOSOMAL AND FLOWERING CHARACTERISTICS IN DWARF MISTLETOES (ARCEUTHOBIUM)

Chromosome numbers and other karyological features of Arceuthobium are reported for all species and subspecific groups in the United States and 7 of the 13 entities occurring in Mexico. The only chromosome number known in the genus is n =14 and the karyotype appears to be fundamentally symmetrical. The bivalents are significantly smaller than in the related genus Phoradendron. No supernumerary chromosomes, sometimes present in Phoradendron, were observed in Arceuthobium. The existence of strong isolating mechanisms, which apparently preclude natural hybridization, is advanced as a possible explanation for the absence of polyploidy in the dwarf mistletoes. The flowering characteristics of the American species are analyzed and classified into three principal groups: (1) winter and early spring flowering species with southern distributions, (2) summer flowering species with more northerly distributions, and (3) spring flowering species with the highest latitudinal distributions, but which essentially complete floral development during the previous summer. A fourth group is intermediate between the first and second categories.