Cytological Studies in the Himalayan Species of Diplazium Swartz

SUMMARY

Cytological observations on 16 species (22 taxa and cytotypes) of Diplazium from various regions of the Himalayas, have been carried out. Out of these, as many as 3 species (5 taxa and cytotypes) are apogamous but incidence of polyploidy is rather low, only 18.2% and that too upto tetraploid level. Triploid apomicts are in abundance. A diploid sterile hybrid, D. polypodioides X asperum has been detected in which monads and diads are frequently produced. It has also been noticed that the putative parents of triploid apogamous D. simplicivenium could be diploid apogamous D. stenochlamys and any of the diploid sexual forms of D. latifolium complex.