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Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Karyotypic diversification and its contribution to the taxonomy of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) from Brazil

Carlos Roberto Maximiano da Silva A , Rafael Trevisan B , Maria Socorro González-Elizondo C , Josué Maldonado Ferreira D and André Luís Laforga Vanzela D E F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, (UNESP/IBILCE), 15054-000 São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.

B Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

C Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional, IPN, Sigma 119 Fracc. 20 de Noviembre II, 34220 Durango, Dgo., Mexico.

D Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, 86051-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.

E Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Restauração de Ecossistemas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, CEP 86051990, Caixa Postal 6001.

F Corresponding author. Email: andrevanzela@uel.br

Australian Journal of Botany 58(1) 49-60 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT09185
Submitted: 21 October 2009  Accepted: 17 December 2009   Published: 11 March 2010

Abstract

A karyotype analysis of 147 populations of 25 Brazilian species of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) was carried out, including representatives of the three subgenera that occur in the country: Limnochloa, Scirpidium and Eleocharis. The analyses showed chromosomes without centromeres, but with terminal nucleolar constrictions (satellites) in some chromosomes. The chromosome numbers varied from 2n = 6 in E. subarticulata and E. maculosa to 2n = 60 in E. laeviglumis, but the chromosome basic number x = 5 was confirmed. Species of the subgenera Eleocharis and Scirpidium possess fewer and larger chromosomes, while those in the subgenus Limnochloa have small and more numerous chromosomes. These features indicate that the karyotypes of the subgenera Eleocharis and Scirpidium are more closely related, in agreement with morphological and phylogenetical data. The representatives of the section Eleocharis exhibited the largest differences in chromosome number and size, probably due to chromosome fission and fusion. Polyploidy was the most common event in this group. Nevertheless, most of the studied species exhibited regular meiosis with only bivalent formation, even the polyploids, such as in E. geniculata and E. sellowiana. The cytogenetic information obtained showed quite variable karyotypes with chromosomes gradually decreasing in size, and predominance of polyploidy. These results are useful in the differentiation of the subgenera.


Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Brazilian agencies Fundação Araucária, CNPq and ProPPG-UEL.


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