New Chromosome Numbers in <i>Scorzonera</i>, subgenera <i>Podospermum</i> and <i>Pseuodopodospermum</i> (Cichorieae, Asteraceae)

Abstract

Somatic chromosome numbers of seven Scorzonera L. species collected from different localities in Iran were counted. Except for S. mucida with 2n=28, the other species exhibited a somatic number of 2n=14. The chromosome numbers support the basic number (x=7) of Scorzonera. The chromosome numbers in S. tunicata, S. kandavanica, S. persepolitana, S. mucida, and S. raddeana are reported for the first time. Chromosome numbers in S. luristanica and S. songorica are different from those of the previous reports.

Delimitation of Iranian species of Scorzonera subg. Podospermum and S. subg. Pseudopodospermum (Asteraceae, Cichorieae) based on morphological and molecular data

“…2016;Norouzi & al. 2016;Hatami & al. 2019), which included additional species that were not considered members of S. subg.…”

“…We consider them as separate species based on differences in achene and phyllary characters (see Notes under S. mucida). Hatami & al. (2019) recently found that chromosome number and ploidy are also different between these species: tetraploid and 2n = 28 in S. mucida in contrast to diploid and 2n = 14 in S. tunicata.…”

“…2016), and karyological analyses of a limited number of species from Iran (Safavi 1999;Bord bar & al. 2019;Hatami & al. 2019), no comprehensive study has been carried out to date to clarify the nomenclature and intergeneric and interspecific diagnostic characters of these subgenera in Iran.…”