Biogeography of the Genus Linaria (Plantaginaceae) Based on Chromosome Number Data

The biogeography of genus Linaria was revealed by the available chromosome counts from all over the world. Chromosome numbers of 92 taxa of the genus Linaria are included in an on-line karyological database. Furthermore, information about chromosome numbers taken from 374 literature sources was used in this paper. Each database record includes name of taxon, data on chromosome and data on the origin of the material and species-area distribution. Each database also provides a reported chromosome number and place of publication. More than half of the available species in chromosome data are diploid or consist of both diploid and polyploid populations and a few numbers of the species are polyploid. For the first time, in this study, mitosis and meiosis chromosome numbers of 13 populations belonging to three species, namely L. lineolata Boiss (2n = 2x = 12), L. fastigiata Chav. (2n = 2x = 12) and L. dalmatica (L.) Mill. (2n = 2x = 12), were determined by examining anthers. In addition, pollen stainability has been documented in Linaria populations in Iran.