Karyological Studies of Six Endemic Species of Stachys (Lamiaceae) Subsect. Fragiles from Turkey

Abstract

Several chromosome numbers are reported for Stachys taxa but little information is available about chromosome morphology. Thus, this study aims to investigate the karyotypes of six endemic Stachys species from Turkey. Two different chromosome numbers are reported as 2n=30 (Stachys chasmosericea and S. pinardii) and 2n=34 (S. euadenia, S. buttleri, S. pseudopinardii and S. longiflora). The chromosome types of the studied taxa are metacentric and submetacentric. Karyological features and asymmetry indices (M_CA, CV_CI and CV_CL) of the six endemic species are identified for the first time, and karyological relationships are determined. Also we presented published chromosome data of Stachys along with new counts. These data can be used for chromosome number evolution for the genus and helpful for understanding its evolution.