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Abstract
The genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) contains about 900 species distributed throughout the Old and New world growing in temperate and subtropical areas, with about 70 species reported in Flora Iranica. Cytological studies of the Salvia have been mainly focused on chromosome number reports and karyotype analysis, while study of the chromosomes behavior in meiosis is very limited. Meiotic studies were performed in ten Salvia species of S. spinosa, S. reuterana, S. sclarea, S. ceratophylla, S. xanthocheiala, S. limbata, S. hypoleuca, S. staminea, S. nemorosa and S. verticillata showing 2n = 14, 20, 22 and 32 chromosome numbers indicating the role played by polyploidy and aneuploidy in Salvia species diversification. Among Salvia species, the highest value of relative total, terminal and intercalary chiasmata occurred in S. verticellata while the lowest value of relative total and terminal chiasmata occurred in S. spinosa. Laggard chromosomes and chromosomes stickiness as well as frequent tripolar and multipolar cell formation due to anaphase I and II failure were observed. Potential unreduced (2n pollen) pollen grains were formed due to meiotic irregularities. B-chromosomes of 0–2 were observed in the species of S. sclarea, S. nemorosa and S. reuterana.
