Chromosome numbers in the tribe Anthemideae (Asteraceae) from north-east Anatolia

Twenty-two chromosome counts of 19 taxa in the tribe Anthemideae of the family Asteraceae are reported from north-east Anatolia, Turkey. The taxa belong to the subtribes Achilleinae (four Achillea taxa), Anthemidinae (five Anthemis taxa), Artemisiinae (two Artemisia species), Leucantheminae (one Lecanthemum species), Matricariinae (two Tripleurospermum species) and Tanacetinae (five Tanacetum taxa). Six counts are new reports, seven are not consistent with previous counts, and the remainder are confirmations of very limited previous data. Most of the populations of Anthemideae studied have the basic number x  = 9, with ploidy levels ranging from 2 x to 7 to 8 x , but dysploidy is also present, with one diploid species, Artemisia austriaca , having x  = 8.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 203–211.     

New or rarely reported chromosome numbers in taxa of subtribe Artemisiinae (Anthemideae, Asteraceae) from Mongolia

This study encompasses 25 chromosome counts of 18 species in the subtribe Artemisiinae (tribe Anthemideae) of the family Asteraceae, from Mongolia. Most (15 species) belong to Artemisia , the largest genus of the subtribe, whereas the others come from two genera very closely related to it: Ajania (two species) and Neopallasia (one species). Eleven counts are new reports, three are not consistent with previous reports and the remainder confirm scanty earlier information. The majority of the species have x  = 9 as their basic chromosome number, but there are some taxa with x  = 8. Ploidy levels range from 2 x to 6 x . The presence of B-chromosomes was detected in Ajania fruticulosa .  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 203–210.     

New or rare chromosome counts in the genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from Armenia and Iran

Nineteen chromosome counts of 12 Artemisia species are reported from Armenia and Iran. Three of them are new reports, sewn are not consistent with previous counts and the remaining are confirmations of very scarce (one to three) previous data. Two basic chromosome numbers (x = 8 and 9) were found, each with several ploidy levels. Chromosome number reduction arising from fusion homozygosity was noted, confirming earlier studies.     

New chromosome counts in the genus Cousinia (Asteraceae) from Iran

Chromosome counts are reported of 38 populations representing 24 species of the genus Cousinia from Iran, one of the main centres of speciation of the genus. Sixteen of the counts are new to science. Our results confirm that Cousinia exhibits a complex dysploid series ranging from x  = 13 to x  = 9. One of the basic chromosome numbers, x  = 9, is new for the genus and must be confirmed. Some considerations on the correlation between chromosome numbers and section classification are made.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 411–419.     

New or rare chromosome counts in the genera Artemisia L. and Mausolea Bunge (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from Uzbekistan

Seventeen chromosome counts of 14 Artemisia and one Mausolea species are reported from Uzbekistan. Five of them are new reports, two are not consistent with previous counts and the remaining are confirmations of very scarce (one to four) previous data. Two basic chromosome numbers (x = 8 and x = 9) and two ploidy levels (2x and 4x) were found. Some correlations between ploidy level, morphological characters and distribution are noted.     

New chromosome counts in the genus Cousinia and the related genus Schmalhausenia (Asteraceae, Cardueae)

Twenty chromosome counts are reported in the genus Cousinia and the monotypic genus Schmalhausenia , which are part of the Arctium group, from Armenia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Twelve are new and eight provide confirmation of scarce or disputable previous data. The correlation between karyological data, pollen type and molecular phylogeny is very close, and on this basis two main groups can be defined. One is the arctioid group, which comprises the genera Arctium and Schmalhausenia , and a small part of the genus Cousinia , with x  = 18. The other is the genus Cousinia s.s. , with a dysploid series ranging from x  = 13–11. Some considerations on the chromosomal evolution in the group are made.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Socety , 2003, 143 , 411–418.     

Contribution to the karyological knowledge of Echinops (Asteraceae, Cardueae) and related genera

Twenty-six chromosome counts were made of several genera of the tribe Cardueae from various European and Asian provenances: Acantholepis (one species studied), Amphoricarpus (1), Chardinia (1), Echinops (14 species, 15 populations), Siebera (1), Staehelina (3) and Xeranthemum (4). Eleven of the reports are made for the first time, ten confirm previous counts, while the remainder report disparities with earlier records. The existence of different basic chromosome numbers and ploidy levels suggests dysploidy and polyploidy as the main mechanisms of chromosomal evolution in the taxa considered.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 145 , 337−344.     

New chromosome counts in the Centaurea Jacea group (Asteraceae, Cardueae) and some related taxa

Twenty-seven chromosome counts are reported in 23 species of the genus Centaurea , mostly eastern endemic species of the Jacea group, which has become the core of the re-defined genus Centaurea . Twenty reports are new, one is a correction of a previous count, one is a confirmation of limited previous data and one represents a new basic number in the Centaureinae. The prevalence of the basic chromosome number x  = 9 among the Eastern sections of the Jacea group is confirmed, together with the close correlation between karyological data and classification of the genus. Two alternative hypotheses on the aberrant chromosome number (for the Centaureinae) found in C. behen are proposed. One of them, if verified, would confirm that a cycle of polyploidy and descending dysploidy is a key mechanism in the speciation of the group.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 145 , 345–352.     

Chromosome counts in Asian Artemisia L. (Asteraceae) species: from diploids to the first report of the highest polyploid in the genus

This work comprises 24 reports of chromosome numbers in 24 Artemisia L. species from Asia. Ten are included in the subgenus Dracunculus Besser and the rest belong to other subgenera. Seven counts are new reports, 14 are consistent with scarce previous ones, and three contribute new ploidy levels. That carried out in A. medioxima reports the highest ploidy level ever counted for the genus (16 x ). There is only one species with x  = 8 as the basic chromosome number. In the remaining x  = 9-based species, ploidy levels range from 2 x to 16 x , illustrating the great role played by polyploidy in the evolution of the genus.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 301–310.     

New chromosome counts in the subtribe Centaureinae (Asteraceae, Gardueae) from West Asia

Chromosome counts are reported for nine species of Centaurea from Turkey. Five are new reports and three are confirmations or corrections of previous questionable counts. The correlation between the accepted classification of the genus and the karyology is briefly examined. A relationship between the reproductive behaviour (allogamy or autogamy) and the occurrence of dysploidy is suggested.     

The genus Rhanterium (Asteraceae: Inuleae)

WIKLUND, A., 1986. The genus Rhanterium (Aateraceae: Inuleae) . This revision of the genus Rhanterium Desf. of the /nu/a-group in the Asteraceae: Inuleae, subtribe Inulinae, is based on studies of herbarium material. The genus is distributed over western North Africa, the Arabian peninsula, Iraq and Iran. Three species are recognized: R. adpressum Coss. & Durieu, R. epapposum Oliver and R. suaveolens Desf. A fourth previously accepted species, R. intermedium Coss. & Durieu ex Pomel, is here considered to be composed of hybrids between R. adpressum and R. suaveolens. A laxonomical recognition of these hybrids is not found to be justified. The morphology, phylogeny and phytogeography of the species are discussed and a cladogram of the genus is proposed.     

Chromosome numbers and meiotic studies in species of Senecio (Asteraceae) from Argentina

Meiotic chromosome counts, chromosomal behaviour and meiotic configurations of ten taxa of Senecio from Argentina were examined. Most counts are original: S. crepidifolius DC., S. francisci Phil. and S. octolepis Griseb. var. saltensis (Hicken) Cabrera & Zardini have 2 n  = 40, and S. chrysolepis Phil., 2 n  = 80 + 8B. We confirmed previous reports for S. deferens Griseb. (2 n  = 40 + 4B), S. filaginoides DC. var. filaginoides (2 n  = 40), S. hieronymi Griseb. (2 n  = 40 + 7B), S. pampeanus Cabrera (2 n  = 40) and S. rudbeckiifolius Meyen & Walp. (2 n  = 40 + 7B). In S. bracteolatus Hook. & Arn. var. bracteolatus , we found a new number (2 n  = 40) that differs from the one cited previously. In four species, numerical polymorphisms for B-chromosomes were observed. Several of the analysed species presented secondary bivalent association. This phenomenon, together with other evidence, supports x  = 5 as the basic chromosome number. The number of chiasmata and their positions were also surveyed, with the finding that open bivalents were the most frequent meiotic figures and terminal chiasmata the preferential position. These features are related to recombination rate, and the success and persistence of these polyploids. We discuss some systematic and evolutionary aspects in the light of cytogenetic data and conclude that polyploidy is the major force modelling the chromosome evolution within this genus.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 148 , 465–474.     

Karyological evolution in Rhaponticum Vaill. (Asteraceae, Cardueae) and related genera

Chromosome counts are reported in 29 populations representing 20 species and one subspecies of the genera Callicephalus (one sp.), Klasea (seven spp.), Myopordon (two spp.), Oligochaeta (one sp.), and Rhaponticum (nine spp., one ssp.). Eleven reports are new, the others supplement limited previous data. New and published cytological data are summarized and evaluated critically in light of current taxonomic treatments and evolutionary hypotheses. Basic chromosome numbers are a valuable source of taxonomic information and relate well to the phylogeny. They are quite conserved in Klasea (only x  = 15), the sister group of the remaining genera, and in the early branching genera of the Rhaponticum group ( x  = 14 for Centaurothamnus and Callicephalus ). However, a more complex pattern of genome evolution is present among the more derived clades, Oligochaeta plus Myopordon ( x  = 12, 14) and the genus Rhaponticum ( x  = 12, 13). The occurrence of x  = 12 in Oligochaeta divaricata and Rhaponticum carthamoides seems to be the result of a recent event of chromosome fusion, as suggested by the fragility of particularly long pairs of chromosomes. The use of chromomycin staining, including an enzymatic digestion step that facilitates spreading and permits a reduction of potential fragmentation, only partially resolves this problem.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 193–201.     

Chromosome counts and genome size of Leontopodium species (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae) from south‐western China

Chromosome counts and genome sizes are reported from six species of Leontopodium: five from the centre of diversity in south‐western China, and L. japonicum from cultivation. Previously published chromosome counts for the genus are also compiled. Genome size (1C) in diploids ranges from 0.93 pg (L. dedeckensii) to 1.14 pg (L. cf. stracheyi) and 1.93 pg for tetraploid L. sinense. Leontopodium artemisiifolium had one pair of heteromorphic chromosomes. Leontopodium japonicum accessions showed variation in ploidy levels. Polyploidy, including autopolyploidy, is frequent in the genus. Variation is seen in basic chromosome number, including between species in the centre of diversity of the genus, where x = 12 or 13, but also within species among previously published counts. This variation does not correspond to currently inferred infrageneric groupings, and indicates both the importance of large‐scale chromosome evolution and the need for more in‐depth taxonomic work in a genus that shows little DNA sequence variation. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Chromosome counts in the genus Festuca section Eskia (Poaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula

Chromosome numbers of taxa of Festuca L. section Eskia Willk. in the Iberian Peninsula are given. The levels of ploidy for five taxa are confirmed. Idiograms and karyotypic formulae of the five taxa are presented for the first time. Two levels of ploidy occur in this section: diploid and tetraploid. One taxon, Festuca elegans ssp. merinoi is tetraploid and two other taxa have diploid and tetraploid populations. The remaining two taxa are solely diploid.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 146 , 331–337.     

Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of South American species and populations of Hypochaeris (Asteraceae)

One hundred and thirty-seven new chromosome counts are reported from 104 populations of 26 native South American taxa of Hypochaeris (Asteraceae, Lactuceae), together with two invasive Mediterranean species: H. glabra and H. radicata . First reports are provided for seven taxa ( H. alba , H. cf. eremophila , H. caespitosa , H. hookeri , H. parodii , H. patagonica and H. pinnatifida ) and one new ploidy level is reported (diploid for H. incana , so far known only as a tetraploid). Including the results of this study, the chromosomes of 39 of the c . 50 Hypochaeris species known from the New World have now been counted. Most species are diploid with 2 n  = 2 x  = 8 and have bimodal, asymmetrical karyotypes. Tetraploidy (2 n  = 4 x  = 16) is reported here for the first time in H. caespitosa . Infra-specific polyploidy (probably autopolyploidy) is reported in H. incana and H. taraxacoides , both cases including infra-populational cytotype mixtures (2 x and 4 x ). Polyploidy is now known from eight South American Hypochaeris species ( c . 16%). Basic karyotype analyses allow the placement of the newly counted taxa into previously proposed but slightly modified groupings and provide the framework for further molecular cytogenetic analyses. The reported findings suggest that chromosomal change in South American Hypochaeris , in contrast to Old World species, has not involved aneuploidy, but polyploidy and/or more subtle changes in chromosome length, perhaps via satellite DNA amplification/deletion or activity of retroelements, and rDNA reorganization.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 49–60.     

Chromosome numbers in Hieracium and Pilosella species (Asteraceae) from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands

Mitotic chromosome numbers are reported from 16 Hieracium and two Pilosella species from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands that are little known cytogenetically. The chromosome numbers of Hieracium aragonense Scheele (2 n  = 27, 36), H. compositum Lapeyr. (2 n  = 27), H. murcandidum G. Mateo (2 n  = 27), H. spathulatum Scheele (2 n  = 27), H. segurae Mateo (2 n  = 27), H. teruelanum Mateo (2 n  = 27), H. valentinum Pau (2 n  = 27), Pilosella pseudovahlii (De Retz) Mateo (2 n  = 18), and P. tardans (Peter) Sójak (2 n  = 36) were determined for the first time. New cytotypes were detected in H. cordifolium Lapeyr. (2 n  = 27) and H. loscosianum Scheele (2 n  = 36). The karyotype of the studied species was similar in overall morphology and comprised metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes; secondary constrictions (up to two) were detected in the chromosome complements of some species.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 311–320.     

Eight new species of Marasmodes (Asteraceae,Anthemideae) from South Africa

During a stay at the Kirstenbosch Research Centre in Cape Town (South Africa), several groups of Asteraceae were studied. One of these was the genus Marasmodes (tribe Anthemideae). After a careful taxonomic study of additional material, including the first species described by A. P. de Candolle, the author has concluded that eight collections should be considered as new species. These new species are described and their relationships with the most similar species of the genus are discussed. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 330–342.     

Karyological studies in Tripleurospermum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from north-east Anatolia

Chromosome number and morphology in 14 taxa belonging to 19 populations of Tripleurospermum Sch. Bip. were studied using karyological and numerical taxonomical techniques. Data on chromosome measurements were analysed using cluster analysis. Chromosome numbers of these taxa are 2 n  = 2 x  = 18, 4 x  = 36 and 5 x  = 42–48. Seven records are new, two are not consistent with previous counts, and the remainder confirm the very limited previous data (one to three records). A new ploidy level (pentaploidy) is reported for the first time for the genus. Some correlations between ploidy levels and morphological characters are noted and several systematic and evolutionary aspects of the genus are discussed in the light of karyological data.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 146 , 427–438.