Cytology of the genus Artemisia (Anthemidae, Asteraceae) in the Western Himalayas

Abstract

The present study revealed the varied frequency of natural chromosomal abnormalities in 13 populations pertaining to 9 species of the genus Artemisia L. from different localities of Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalaya). Intraspecific chromosome variability has been reported for the first time on worldwide basis in Artemisia vestita (2n = 2x = 36) and from India in A. macrocephala (2n = 2x = 18) and A. scoparia (2n = 2x = 36). Besides, B-chromosomes have been reported here for the first time in A. nilagirica and A. roxburghiana. Most of the populations show anomalous meiotic behaviour resulting in cytomixis, chromosomal stickiness, unoriented bivalents, formation of laggards and bridges which leads to abnormal microsporogenesis, and production of heterogeneous-sized fertile pollen grains along with reduced pollen fertility.

Phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of the genus artemisia

“…The plant is also applied in the treatment of worm infection, epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia, autonomic neurosis, general irritability, and neurasthenia, etc. It is not used during breastfeeding (Gruenwald et al 2008 ; Gupta et al 2014 ). The essential oil of the plant is considered to have a variety of pharmacological actions, with an extended spectrum of bioactivity, due to the presence of multiple functioning metabolites of the subsidiary chemical constituents, which promote their operation through a different mode of action (Walter and Memory 2003 ; Silva 2004 ).…”

Significance of Artemisia Vulgaris L. (Common Mugwort) in the History of Medicine and Its Possible Contemporary Applications Substantiated by Phytochemical and Pharmacological Studies

“…A high percentage of Artemisia species are polyploids, and the reported cytotypes cytogenetically differ in their external morphology, anatomy, fertility, and phytochemical characteristics [ 35 ]. Among the species, A. vulgaris is quite diverse showing several cytotypes, of which 2 n = 2 x = 18 is the most common [ 36 ].…”

Analysis of cytoskeleton in the cells involved in cytomixis: the migrated chromatin displays an MT-organizing activity and can interact with the spindle

“…Cytomixis is the migration of nuclei or their fragments between plant cells. As a rule, cytomixis is observed in the male meiosis; this process has been so far described in hundreds of plant species (Silkova et al 2011;Kumar et al 2013;Gupta et al 2014;Malik et al 2017). As has been shown, the nuclei migrate between cells through special cytomictic channels (CCs), formed from plasmodesmata (Wang et al 2002(Wang et al , 2004Wang et al 2006;Luo et al 2008).…”