Taxonomic Significance of Karyomorphology in Ipomoea spp

Abstract

In all, ten Ipomoea spp. have been karyomorphologically analysed. The data from the present studies analysed in terms of chromosome number, absolute chromatin length, centromeric index, T. F. % and representative chromosome types tend to indicate the various degrees of overlap establishing close relationships between the species. The genus Ipomoea has been suggested to be a natural assemblage showing a reticulate evolution. The splitting of Ipomoea spp. into distinct subgenera on morphological ground (Hooker 1885) or into separate genera on the basis of pollen exine character (Hallier 1893) does not find support from karyomorphology which is a better biological character.