Meiotic studies were performed on 11 populations of 8 Stipa species concerning polyploidy level, chiasma frequency and distribution, chromosomes association and segregation. All the species and populations studied possessed nϭ22 (2nϭ4xϭ44) chromosome number. The chromosome numbers of 3 species are reported for the first time. The populations and species studied differed significantly in their meiotic characteristics. Meiotic abnormalities observed included laggard chromosome formation, stickiness and cytomixis. Cytomixis led to the formation of aneuploid meiocytes. Unreduced pollen grains were observed in 2 species, which differed significantly in their size compared to the normal (reduced) pollen grains.
Numerical taxonomic studies were performed on 57 populations of 15 Stipa species belonging to 5 different sections, concerning intra-population and inter-populations variations as well as inter-specific relationships. The most variable morphological characters useful in the species delimitation were also determined. The species studied also differed significantly in most of the quantitative characters studied and the mean of such characters may be of use in the species delimitation. The clustering showed distinctness of the species studied as the populations of each species are placed close to each other and separate from the other species.
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