Determination of Chromosome Number of Kuwaiti Flora I.

Abstract

Summary This paper deals with the chromosome numbers (somatic or sporophytic and gametic) of some wild species of the Kuwaiti flora. All species were collected from the wild except Plantago lanceolata, which was cultivated. Some values are reported for the first time. The species and their respective chromosome numbers are as follows: Anthemis deserti 2n=18, Atractylis carduus 2n=20, Calendula arvensis 2n=36, 44, Koelpinia linearis 2n=54, 36, Launaea capitata 2n=18, L. mucronata 2n=16, Picris babylonica 2n=10, Reichardia tingitana 2n=16, Senecio glaucus 2n=20, Sonchus oleraceus 2n=32, Astragalus hauarensis 2n=48, A. schimperi 2n=16, Lotus halophilus 2n=14, 28, Medicago laciniata 2n=16, Plantago amplexicaulis 2n=10, P. boissieri 2n=10, P. ciliata 2n = 10, P. coronopus 2n= 10, P. lanceolata 2n= 12, P. ovata 2n =8. Karyotype analysis of P. babylonica, R. tingitana, P. boissieri, and P. ciliata is shown.The chromosome set is not only one of the most characteristic attributes of a species, but also carries the bulk of essential information for controlling its organization and metabolism. Therefore, variations in number, size and form of the chromosomes between genera and related species, and sometimes between populations of the same species, are of importance for classification and certain evolutionary aspects (Sato 1962). Such variations represent different karyotypes (Jackson 1971). Numerical analysis of chromosomes is one of the processes in assessing the genomic status of a species. Chromosome numbers of species can provide useful information for various fields of research including karyotaxonomy, genetics, cytogenetics, plant breeding, ecology, biogeography and molecular biology. A number of workers have been involved in reporting the chromosome numbers of wild and cultivated plant species (Darlington and Wylie 1955, Bolkhovskikh et al.

Karyomorphological study on some species of Launaea in Egypt

“…The present counts of chromosome numbers were convenient with the previous reports in L. nudicaulis (2n=18: Bir et al 1979;Bir et al 1980;Chikkannaiah et al 1982;Kamel 2004); L. capitata (2n= 18: Razaq et al 1994;Malallah et al 1999); L. fragilis subsp. fragilis (2n= 16: Luque et al 1991;Mejías et al 1993); L. fragilis subsp.…”

“…Chromosome studies are necessary to improve our knowledges on intra-and inter-specific as well as intraand inter-specific relationships in the most evolutionary advanced Asteraceae (e.g., Volkova and Boyko 1986; Vallès et al 2005). Studies of chromosome counts in several species of the genus were reported (e.g., ValdesBermejo et al, 1976, Brullo et al, 1977Bir et al, 1979;Bir et al, 1980;Chikkannaiah et al, 1982;Snogerup et al, 1985;Luque et al, 1991;Mejías et al, 1993;Razaq et al, 1994;Malallah et al, 1999;Kamel. 2004).…”

Chromosome numbers of the Kuwaiti flora, III.

“…Aizoaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cistaceae, Fabaceae, Geraniaceae, Liliaceae and Primulaceae. For the previous instalments see Malallah & Brown (1999) and Malallah & al. (2001).…”