Pasqua Bianco

Karyological studies of some taxa of the genera Himantoglossum, Orchis, Serapias and Spiranthes (Orchidaceae) from Apulia (Italy).

SUMMARYKaryological studies of some taxa of the genera Himantoglossum, Orchis, Serapias and Spiranthes (Orchidaceae) from Apulia are reported. Karyotypes of the taxa studied reveal interesting differences. A particular marker chromosome pair, with a satellite on the short arm and a microsatellite on the long arm, has been observed in the genera Himantoglossum and Orchis. Karyotypes of Orchis morio L. and O. papilionacea L. showed a great morphologic similarity. In the taxa of the genus Orchis with 2n = 42 chromosomes some plants carry B-chromosome.

Karyomorphological analyses and heterochromatin characteristics disclose phyletic relationships among 2n = 32 and 2n = 36 species ofOrchis (Orchidaceae)

The karyotypes of eight taxa ofOrchis L. with 2n = 32 and 2n = 36 have been investigated using morphometrical measurements following staining with Feulgen, Giemsa (C-banding) and the DNA specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33258. The karyotypes ofO. coriophora subsp.fragrans, andO. papilionacea proved to be the most asymmetrical, whileO. morio andO. longicornu exhibited the most symmetrical karyotypes. Using C-banding and the fluorochrome H33258 only the taxa with high asymmetry indices showed the presence of differentially stained chromatin bands. In most chromosomes heterochromatin bands were present at the telomeric position. The present results seem to indicate that the analysed species do not form a homogeneous group and further subdivisions are possible, which, in turn, do not always correlate with divisions based on morphological characters. Both karyomorphology and heterochromatin distribution coincide in indicating a possible evolutionary pathway.

Karyological studies on Orchidaceae. Tribe Ophrydeae, subtribe Serapiadinae

SUMMARYChromosome numbers and karyotypes in some Orchid taxa are presented. In numerous populations of Orchis coriophora subsp. fragrans, chromosome counts yielded 2n = 36. At MI in EMC, there are usually 18 bivalents. However, we observed 16 bivalents + 2 trivalente in a few specimens. A specimen of O. coriophora found near Mattinata was a triploid with 2n = 3x = 54. A karyological study of Barila robertiana revealed a remarkable karyomorphology compared to Himantoglossum hircinum. A similar situation was found within the Orchis genus when comparing O. tridentata with O. lactea, and within the Serapias genus when comparing S. vomeracea subsp. vomeracea with S. vomeracea subsp. laxiflora. Karyological correlations in some Orchid genera are discussed.

Karyological Studies of Some Taxa of the Genus Ophrys (Orchidaceae) from Apulia (Italy)

SUMMARYKaryological studies of some taxa of the genus Ophrys (Orchidaceae) from Apulia are reported. Diploid chromosome number 2n = 36 was observed in all taxa studied. Correlations between each taxons karyotype are discussed. The karyotypes of these taxa are characterized by similar chromosome types.

Cytomorphological characterization of diploid and triploid individuals of Orchis × gennarii Reichenb. fil. (Orchidaceae)

SUMMARYIndividuals of Orchis × gennarii, collected at different sites in Apulia (southern Italy), showed 34 or 52 chromosomes karyotypes. Chromosomal morphology and meiotic pairing were studied in both cytotypes and compared with the putative parental species: O. morto and O. papilionacea. Cytomorphological (chromosomes morphology and chromosome-banding) and meiotic pairing analyses confirmed the hybrid origin of O. X gennarii. The 52 chromosomes plants showed somatic karyotypes with one set of 18 homomorphic pairs; additionally, 18 bivalents plus 16 univalents were prevalently observed in meiotic metaphase I. Possible pathways for the origin of the amphitriploid cytotype are discussed.

Cytological and karyological studies on Orchidaceae

SUMMARYCytological studies are reported for some taxa belonging to three genera of Orchidaceae. Triploidy has been found in Orchis laxiflora, Anacamptis pyramidalis and in a new interspecific hybrid between Orchis collina and O. monrio. Meiosis in O. laxiflora was characterized by an high frequency of trivalents, while a few bivalents and univalents were observed. Anacamptis pyramidalis has presented numerous trivalents, few univalents/bivalents and rare quadrivalents. Karyotypes of diploid and triploid interspecific hybrids were compared with karyotypes of their parents. Aneuploidy was noticed in Himantoglossum adriaticum with chromosome numbers n= 18, 2n = 36 and 2n= 37. The possible significance on the occurrence of triploids is discussed.

Stazioni di roccia a Monte S. Nicola (Monopoli, Puglia) con osservazioni suix'areale di Campanula Versicolor sib. et sm., Carum Multiflorum Boiss. e Scrophularia lucida L

Abstract SOME ROCK HABITATS NEAR MONOPOLI (APULIA), WITH NOTES ON THE AREA OF DISTRIBUTION OF CAMPANULA VERSICOLOR SIB. ET SM., CARUM MULTIFLORUM BOISS., and SCROPHULARIA LUCIDA L. — At Monte San Nicola, near Monopoli (Apulia), half way up a steep slope at ca. 200 m. o. s. I., some vertical limestone rocks harbour a saxatile community which includes some species more or less rare in Apulia. Three of these species, Campanula versicolor Sib. et Sm., Carum multiflorum Boiss., and Scrophularia lucida L., have a mainly Greek distribution and, to the west of the Adriatic sea, they have only been reported for southern Apulia. C. versicolor is mainly found on the mountains of the Greek mainland and Albania; it occurs on a few of the Jonian islands. Its typical habitats are the crevices of shady vertical rocks. C. multiflorum is reported for several mountainso n the Greek mainland but also on a number of islands including Crete and Cyprus; its typical habitats are rock crevices. S. lucida is a mainly coastal speci...

Chromosome numbers and karyotypes in Arum (Araceae)

SUMMARYChromosome morphology was studied in five species of the genus Arum (Araceae). The karyotypes of Arum orientale (2n = 28), A. alpinum (2n = 28) and A. nigrum (2n = 28) were very similar. A. pictum (2n = 28) is composed of a higher number of asymmetric chromosomes. The karyotype of A. maculatum (2n = 56) shows great similarities to the karyotypes of A. orientale and A. alpinum.

Sulla presenza nel Gargano di Arum alpinum Schott et Kotschy, entità nuova per la flora pugliese

Abstract About the presence of Arum alpinum Schott et Kotschy on Gargano, a new member of the Apulian flora. - The first discovery of Arum alpinum in Apulia, on Gargano, is reported. Its diploid chromosome number (2n = 28) of the species has been determined and some other taxonomically important characters are given.

Polyploidy and aneuploidy inOphrys, Orchis, andAnacamptis (Orchidaceae)

Studies on chromosome numbers and karyotypes in Orchid taxa from Apulia (Italy) revealed triploid complements inOphrys tenthredinifera andOrchis italica. InO. tenthredinifera there is no significant difference between the diploid and the triploid karyotypes. The tetraploid cytotype ofAnacamptis pyramidalis forms 36 bivalents during metaphase I in embryo sac mother cells. Aneuploidy was noticed inOphrys bertolonii ×O. tarentina with chromosome numbers n = 19 and 2n = 38. There were diploid (2n = 2x = 36), tetraploid (2n = 4x = 72), hexaploid (2n = 6x = 108) and octoploid (2n = 8x = 144) cells in the ovary wall of the diploid hybridOphrys apulica ×O. bombyliflora. Evolutionary trends inOphrys andOrchis chromosomes are discussed.