Chromosome numbers of C3 and C4 variants within the species Alloteropsis sernialata (R.Br.) Hitchc. (Poaceae) |
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| Authors: | MILLICENT L. FREAN F.L.S. ELLIS MARKS |
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| Affiliation: | John Innes Institute, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UH |
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| Abstract: | FREAN, M. L. & MARKS, E., 1988. Chromosome numbers of C3 and C4 variants within the species Alloteropais semialata (R.Br.) Hitch. (Poaceae). In a study of mid-lamina leaf sections, different variants of A. semialata were found to have C3 or C4 anatomy. The C4 leaf showed a specialized photosynthetic vascular bundle sheath not present in the C3 form. Chromosome counts made from pollen mother cell squashes showed that the C3 form of A. semialata is a fertile diploid 2n = 2x = 18 and the C4 form, a fertile allohexaploid 2n = 6x = 54. The cytological evidence suggests that the two forms should be considered as separate species. |
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| Keywords: | Gramineae- intraspecific variation- photosynthesis. |
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