CYTOTAXONOMY OF THREE SPECIES OF CENTAUREA ADVENTIVE IN CANADA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The chromosome nos. of 3 introduced spp. of Centaurea are reported: C. diffusa Lam., 2[image]=18; C. maculosa Lam., 2[image]=36; C. repens L., 2[image]=26. The chromosome counts of C. diffusa and of C. maculosa, reported here for the 1st time, help to clarify a taxonomic problem. A pappus is usually lacking on the achenes of C. diffusa but is present on those of C. maculosa. As a result, plants of C. diffusa with a short pappus have been considered to be possible hybrids between these spp. Three such plants here studied had the diploid chromosome no. 18, rather than the triploid no. to be expected in such a hybrid. Examination of pollen of suspected hybrid specimens shows that the percentage of normal pollen is high. This fact also supports the belief that plants of C. diffusa with a short pappus on the achene are not hybrids with C. maculosa.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: