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Abstract
Chromosome numbers for 108 species of the genus Lotus (Leguminosae) are now known. This represents an increase of 32 new species which have been reported since a chromosome atlas for Lotus was published in 1965. At this rate, with just over one chromosome number being reported for a new species per year, it will require almost a century for the chromosome numbers to be determined for all of the species in the genus. A review of the cytogenetic features which have been observed in the genus through karyotype analyses, chromosome banding, Feulgen cytophotometry, anther culture, HCN reaction and interspecific hybridization is presented. These include cytomixis and B chromosomes (both found in hybrids of diploid species in the L. corniculatus group when L. alpinus was one of the parents), desynapsis, binucleate cell formation, polytene chromosomes in suspensor cells and trisomics in L. pedunculatus. There has been a reduction of HCN content in the species with evolutionary development which is correlated with basic chromosome number and geographic distribution. Classical karyotype analyses may not be a suitable method to investigate the parentage of L. corniculatus because of the chromosomal repatterning which has occurred during the evolutionary development of the closely related diploid species.
