Post-reductional meiosis in Chamaelirium subsect. Chionographis (Melanthiaceae)

Abstract

Chromosome number, morphology and behavior in meiosis and mitosis were examined for three plants of Chamaelirium subsect. Chionographis. Somatic chromosomes of all the plants showed traits of holocentricity and were aberrant in constitution. One plant of C. japonicum subsp. japonicum was a triploid with 2n=36 (x=12), one plant deemed as a hybrid between C. japonicum subsp. yakusimense var. koshikiense and C. koidzumianum var. leiophyllum had 2n=25, including 1 fragmentary chromosome, and one plant identified as a hybrid between C. japonicum subsp. japonicum (2n=24) and C. hisauchianum subsp. minoense (2n=42) had 2n=33. The meiotic chromosomes of all these plants segregated equationally in the first division and reductionally in the second division. This is the first report of post reductional meiosis in Chamaelirium. The meiotic process in subsect. Chionographis was schematically illustrated and compared with that known for some other plants with holocentric chromosomes, including Luzula.