Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of representatives of caryophyllaceae from Korea

Abstract

Somatic chromosome numbers were determined for 15 taxa belonging to six genera of Caryophyllaceae in South Korea, Pseudostellaria (three species), Stellaria (three species), Dianthus (one species), Gypsophila (one species), Lychnis (two species) and Silene (five species), and were compared with previously reported chromosome numbers for each genus and species. This is the first report of chromosome numbers for two species, Silene koreana (2n=24), and S. seoulensis (2n=24). Furthermore, a karyotype analysis of five Silene species indicated that the basic number were all x=12, with the following karyotypic formulas: S. aprica var. oldhamiana (2n=4x=48=48m), S. jenisseensis (2n=2x=24=20m+4sm), S. koreana (2n=2x=24=16m+8sm), S. seoulensis [2n=2x=24+ I=20m (4sat)+4sm], and S. takesimensis [2n=2x=24=20m+4sm (1sat)]. These were the first karyotype analyses for the examined taxa, except S. aprica var. oldhamiana. S. seoulensis had the most asymmetrical karyotype among these species.