The Nature of Polyploidy inAsplenium Ruta-MurariaL. andA. LepidumC. Presl

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Abstract
Meiotic chromosome pairing behaviour was studied in Asplenium lepidum and A. ruta-muraria. In addition, wild and synthesized interspecific hydrids were analysed in the same way. In some plants of the tetraploid A. ruta-muraria meiotic irregularities were observed (multivalents and secondary associations) indicating autoploid origin of the taxon. The same conclusion has been reached from two interspecific hybrids involving the tetraploid A. ruta- muraria, which showed a high degree of autosyndetic pairing. The progenitor of the autote-traploid A. ruta-muraria ssp. ruta-muraria is the diploid A. ruta muraria ssp. dolomiticum since the tripoid hybrid form almost «x » (=36) trivalents at meiosis. The morphologically similar and also tetraploid A. lepidum has, however, a different origin. This species had no autosyndetic capacity in three different interspecific crosses analysed. Therefore A. lepidum is regarded as allotetraploid.