New Report on Karyotypes in Three Endemic Species of Murdannia Royle (Commelinaceae) from India

Abstract

Somatic chromosome numbers and karyotypes of three Murdannia species are reported here for the first time. M. assamica and M. fadeniana are endemic to India while M. striatipetala is found only in India and Sri Lanka. M. assamica has chromosome number and karyotype formula 2n=20 and 8m+1sm+1st, M. striatipetala with 2n=20 and 8m+1sm+1st, and M. fadeniana with 2n=40 and 20m. Chromosome length in somatic metaphase varies from 1.15–3.26 µm with a total length of 20.07 µm for M. assamica, 1.63–3.14 µm with a total length of 22.36 µm for M. striatipetala and 0.96–2.04 µm, with a total length of 27.75 µm for M. fadeniana. Karyological data are found useful in assessing relationship in the family Commelinaceae.