The Chromosomes and Relationships of Metasequoia and Sequoia

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Abstract
The chromosomes and relationships of Metasequoia and Sequoia are discussed. Metasequoia has 2n=22. The cytological evidence tells little about the interrelationships between the genera of Taxodiaceae, except that S. sempervirens must have been derived from one or more spp. not very different from it genetically and morphologically by means of polyploidy and perhaps hybridization. Morphological and cytological grounds are discussed on which to erect the working hypothesis that S. sempirvirens originated as an allopolyploid from hybrids between and early Tertiary or Mesozoic sp. of Metasequoia and some probably extinct type of taxodiaceous plant not unlike three modern genera, Sequoid-endron Taiwania. and Athrotaxis.