A Karyomorphological Study on the Genus Muscari Miller Growing in Turkey

Abstract

The chromosome numbers and karyotypes of eight species of the genus Muscari distributed in Turkey were analyzed. These taxa are M. macrocarpum Sweet, M. racemosum Mill., M. aucheri (Boiss.) Baker, M. armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker, M. sivrihisardaghlarensis Yildirimli & B. Selvi, M. discolor Boiss. & Hausskn, M. botryoides (L.) Mill. and M. neglectum Guss. Five of them (M. racemosum, M. aucheri, M. sivrihisardaghlarensis, M. discolor, and M. botryoides) are endemic in Turkey. The chromosome number of all studied taxa were determined as 2n=2x=18, while M. neglectum had the chromosome number of 2n=4x=36. Haploid chromosome lengths varied 24.94 mu m (M. armeniacum) to 119.85 mu m (M. racemosum) among species. Karyotype analysis indicated that Muscari taxa generally have a median point (M), median (m), and submedian (sm) chromosomes. In addition, only M. racemosum has one subterminal (st) chromosome pair. Satellites were observed in M. racemosum and M. botryoides. The karyotypes of M. sivrihisardaghlarensis was determined for the first time in this study.