Karyological Studies in the Genus Androcymbium (Colchicaceae)

Abstract

A karyological study was carried out in the genusAndrocymbium Willd. The karyotypes of 26 populationsbelonging to six species of the section Erythrostictus(Schldtl.) Benth. in Benth. & Hook.f. (included intheA. gramineum (Cav.) T.Macbr. group) and of onepopulation of a species of the section Androcymbium are established and themean results for each taxon are given. Chromosome counts from severalpopulations of all the species, the chromosome number ofA. eucomoides Willd., and most of the karyotypes arepresented here for the first time. A new basic number, x= 10, is also reported for the genus. On the basis of the dataobtained, a descendent dysploidy process in the evolution of the genus issuggested and the members of the A. gramineum group areconsidered to be schizoendemics.