Abstract
(1) Most of the species of Anemone examined had a basic number of eight. Anemone Hepatica, a diploid species, had a basic number of seven (2n=14). Somatic doubling was found in several root-tips of A. Hepatica and A. vernalis.
(2) Eight paired chromosomes can be distinguished at pachytene. The chiasma frequency at diplotene is 6.1 per bivalent. There is a fairly high percentage of terminal chiasmata per bivalent: a parallel reduction occurs in the total number of chiasmata per bivalent and the number of terminal chiasmata per bivalent between diplotene and metaphase. Most of the bivalents have a single interstitial chiasma at metaphase.
(3) The reduction in the number of total chiasmata per bivalent and terminal chiasmata per bivalent, indicates that terminalisation takes place and that the chiasmata are resolved on reaching the ends of the chromosomes. This can be interpreted as due to lack of terminal affinity.
(4) If this lack of terminal affinity were combined with strong terminalisation, univalent formation would result at metaphase although crossing-over had occurred.
