Chromosome count and karyotype study of eleven Nepeta L. Lamiaceae species from Iran

Authors : Navaz KHARAZIAN, Somayeh Zamani SHOURABI, Mehdi YOUSEFI

Pages : 76-87

View : 10 | Download : 6

Publication Date : 2013-04-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Nepeta L. genus Lamiaceae Family with high morphological and chromosomal diversity is one of the large genus of Iran with important genetic resources in this country. In order to study the karyotype features in Nepeta species, 11 species and 31 accessions were collected from natural habitats of Zagros region. Their chromosome number and karyotype were studied using mitotic metaphase. The cluster analysis with Squared Euclidean Distance and Ward Methods were done by use of SPSS software ver.20 to display the chromosomal diversity. The results of this research showed that the studied taxa were diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid. Chromosome numbers were 2n=18, 22, 26, 32, 34, 36, 42, 54 and basic chromosome numbers were x=7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17. Most of the numbers and all of the karyotypes were reported for Iran for the first time. The karyotypic results showed the diversity among the species as mostly displayed median point M , median region m and sub median region sm and the chromosome lengths were in the range of 0.64-2 μm. From the clustering results, high chromosomal diversity was found in N. glomerulosa, N. fissa, N. pungens, N. daenensis and N. schiraziana accessions. It is concluded that Zagros region is one of the diversity centers in Iran and provide the evolutionary trends in this genus
Keywords : Karyotype, Chromosome number, Nepeta, Lamiaceae, Iran