Chromosome numbers of taxa of the genus Jurinea Cass. (Asteraceae) in Iran

Abstract

In this study, somatic chromosome numbers of 27 Jurinea Cass. taxa (25 species and two subspecies), collected from different localities in Iran, were counted. Apart from Jurinea macrocephala DC. and J. pulchella DC. these are reported here for the first time. Except for J. eriobasis DC. with 2n = 36 and J. gedrosiaca Bornm. with 2n = 32 all the materials studied showed a somatic number of 2n = 34. Regarding the dysploidy observed in this genus two theories based on a decrease in aneuploidy and a polyploidy pillar complex are justified and discussed here. © 2014 © 2014 Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica, Università di Firenze.