Korean J. Pl. Taxon. 1998; 28(2): 187-208.
Published online 1998 June 30.
A cytotaxonomic study of genus Polygonatum in Korea
한국산 둥굴레속 ( Polygonatum ) 의 세포분류학적 연구
한미경,장창기,오병운,김윤식
ABSTRACT
Chromosome counts and karyotype analysis were made for 15 species of Korean Polygonatum and the two related species, Majanthemum dilatatum and Smilacina japonica. The basic chromosome numbers of Polygonatum were x=9, 10, 11, 12 and 15, while those of related taxa were x=9 (2n=4x=36). The Korean Polygonatum could be divided into 5 groups by the basic chromosome numbers: (1) Involucratum group (x=9); P. cryptanthum, P. desoulavyi, P. falcatum, P. grandicaule, P. infundiflorum, P. involucratum, P. thunbergii, (2) Odoratum group (x=10); P. humile, P. lasianthum, P. odoratum var. odoratum, P. odoratum var. pluriflorum, P. robustum, (3) Inflatum group (x=11); P. inflatum, (4) Sibiricum group (x=12); P. sibiricum, (5) Stenophyllum group (x=15); P. stenophyllum. The chromosome numbers of P. infundiflorum (2n=18), P. grandicaule (2n =18), and P. robustum (2n=20) were determined for the first time in this study. The metaphase chromosomes comprised metacentric, submetacentric, subtelocentric and telocentric chromosomes, and the secondary constrictions were observed on `certain chromosomes of all species examined in this study. These cytological characters were evaluated along with morphological ones for the possible application to the infrageneric system of the genus Polygonatum. Further, variation of the basic numbers and the phenomenon of aneuploidy were discussed as major factors in the speciation of the Korean Polygonatum.
