C-banding patterns in six taxa ofParis(Melanthiaceae)

Abstract

C-banding patterns were analyzed in six taxa of Paris: P. polyphylla var. chinensis, P. marmorata, P. luquanensis, P. thibetica, P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and P. polyphylla var. alba. All plants had a diploid chromosome number of 10. The basic banding consisted of three metacentric and two teloblastic chromosomes. All taxa showed interspecific variation in karyotype structure. P. thibetica had a unique C-banding pattern, having six bands on the long arm of the middle median centromeric chromosomes. P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis had mostly faint C-bands. Chromosome morphology and C-banding patterns have been used for chromosome identification and population divergence detection.