DIVERSITY OF CHROMOSOME NUMBERS AND MEIOTIC STUDIES IN GENUSANCHUSA (BORAGINACEAE) FROM IRAN

The present study reports the chromosome number and meiotic behaviour of 14 populations belonging to four taxa of Anchusa subgenus Buglossum Gusul. from Iran. All populations showed the chromosome number 2n= 4x= 32. It is the first meiotic study for A. subg. Buglossum. We discuss some habit form and evolutionary aspect in the light of cytogenetic data. The origin of polyploidy (auto-allopolyploidy) were also surveyed. As the result of the present study and reviewing the chromosome numbers in Anchusa subg. Buglossum and A. subg. Buglossoides Gusul. in Iran, it can be concluded that polyploidy is the major force modeling the chromosome evolution within these subgenera. Almost all the studied taxa displayed regular bivalent pairing and chromosome segregation at meiosis. However, some meiotic abnormalities observed in different taxa are discussed here.