Abstract
As a result of chromosomal analysis of various populations of five species of genus Sporobolus it has been found that (i) morphologically distinct tetraploid (n=12) and hexaploid (n=18) cytotypes for S. diander and diploid (n=9) and tetraploid (n=18) cytotypes for S. marginatus exist in nature, (ii) cytomixis leading to aneuploid numbers characterises S. helvolus and (iii) abnormal meiosis results in reduced pollen fertility in S. indicus.
All the five species are polyploids. On the basis of cumulative world wide data 83% of the species of genus Sporobolus are polyploids and intraspecific cytotypes exist in a large number of species. This calls for taxonomic revision of the genus in the light of cytomorphological evidence.
