Contribution to the cytotaxonomical knowledge of Gagea Salisb. (Liliaceae) sect. Foliatae A. Terracc. and synthesis of karyological data

Abstract

Four taxa belonging to the sectio Foliatae A. Terracc. (= Didymobolbos C. Koch) of the genus Gagea Salisb. are karyologically and morphologically investigated: G. chrysantha (Jan) J. A. Schultes and J. H. Schultes (= G. amblyopetala Boiss. and Heldr.; 2n =36), G. foliosa (J. and C. Presl) J.A. and J.H. Schultes (2n =36), G. bohemica (Zauschner) J.A. and J.H. Schultes var. saxatilis (Mert. and Koch.) Fiori (2n =48), G. granatellii (Parl.) Parl. (2n =36). All the studied populations come from Northern Calabria. Karyotype analysis is carried out for G. chrysantha and G. foliosa (both studied for the first time) and for G. bohemica. Karyological and morphological features of the four species are presented and discussed. An updated checklist of karyological data of the genus is presented and briefly discussed.

Key words:

• Chromosome numbers
• Gagea
• Italian flora
• taxonomy
• karyotypes