Cytotaxonomic studies on Polygonum section Polygonum in eastern Canada and the adjacent United States

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Abstract
A total of 183 chromosome counts on plants representing nine species of Polygonum section Polygonum in eastern Canada and the United States is presented. Documented counts are published here for the first time for P. franktonii (2n = 60) and P. neglectum (2n = 40 and 60). In addition, previously unreported counts for P. achoreum (2n = 60), P. aviculare (2n = 40), and P. fowled (2n = 60) are presented. A review of previously published counts and an examination of voucher specimens have revealed a number of errors, negating many reported counts, including all of those for P. erectum and most of those for P. buxiforme. Polygonum arenastrum and P. raii are entirely tetraploid (2n = 40) and P. franktonii and P. ramosissimum entirely hexaploid (2n = 60), whereas the remaining species have both tetraploid and hexaploid elements. In contrast to previous reports, no diploid or octoploid plants have been detected.