| Abstract: | Fritillary is a precious Chinese medicinal herb. Those native to XinjiangNorthwest China, are even more distinguished from other sources for their purity andeffectiveness. Fritillaria in Xinjiang comprises 8 native species and one (F. thunbergiiMiq.) introduced from Zhejiang, East China. In this paper the authors describe thekaryotypes of 6 species native to Xinjiang and F. thunbergii Miq., of which five, i.e.F.olgae Vved., F. walujewii Regel, F. yuminensis X. Z. Duan, F. karelinii (Fisch.) Bakerand F. thunbergii Miq. were studied for the first time. Detail observation and measurment of chromosomes in each of them were made. The data obtained may be summarized as follows: scietific name karyotype formula (2n=) F. pallidiflora Schrenk 2m + 2sm + 6st + 14t F. olgae Vved. 4m + 6st + 14t F. walujewii Regel 2m + 2sm + 8st+ 12t F. yuminensis X. Z. Duan 4m + 8st + 12t F. verticillata Willd 4m + 8st + 12t F. karelinii (Fisch.) Baker 4m + 4sm + 4st + 12t F. thunbergii Miq. 2m + 2sm + 4st + 16t The karyotype of the native species are, on the whole, similar to each other exceptthat of F. karelinii (Fisch.) Baker, a species inhabiting desert areas. The number ofm-sm chromosomes has increased from 2 to 4 and the number of st-t chromosomesdecreased correspondently. So is the karyotype of F. thunbergii Miq. which is notedfor its high ratio of long chromosome/short chromosome and the more t-chromosomes.These two peculiar karyotypes coincide amazingly with their specific natural habitats. |
