Chromosome characterization and variability in some Iridaceae from Northeastern Brazil

• Main Authors: Lânia Isis F. Alves, Saulo Antônio A. Lima, Leonardo P. Felix
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Genética 2011-01-01
• Series: Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: Iridaceae; disploidy; karyotypic evolution; polyploidy; asymmetrical karyotype
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572011000200016
• ISSN: 1415-4757; 1678-4685

The chromosomes of 15 species of Iridaceae of the genera Alophia, Cipura, Eleutherine, Neomarica and Trimezia (subfamily Iridoideae) were examined after conventional Giemsa staining. The karyotypes of Alophia drummondii (2n = 14+1B, 28, 42 and 56), Cipura paludosa (2n = 14), C. xanthomelas (2n = 28) and Eleutherine bulbosa (2n = 12) were asymmetric; Neomarica candida, N. caerulea, N. humilis, N. glauca, N. gracilis, N. northiana and Neomarica sp. (2n = 18); N. cf. paradoxa (2n = 28), Trimezia fosteriana (2n = 52), T. martinicensis (2n = 54) and T. connata (2n = 82) were all generally symmetric. New diploid numbers of 2n = 56 for Alophia drummondii, 2n = 18 for N. candida, N. humilis, N. glauca, and N. gracilis, 2n = 28 for N. cf. paradoxa, and 2n = 82 for T. connata are reported. The karyotypic evolution of the studied species is discussed.