Cytological Investigations on the Indian Compositae. I. North — Indian Taxa

Abstract

The cytology of 189 collections comprising 131 species of Compositae from N. India has been worked ont. Sixteen genera cytologically investigated for the first time are: Dichrocephala, Cyathocline, Myriactis, Rhynchospermum, Blumea, Laggera, Ifloga, Caesulia, Vicoa, Carpesium, Siegesbeckia, Blainvillea, Lasthenia, Tricholepis, Volutarella, and Pterotheca. New chromosome counts are made available for 57 species. Cytomorphological comparison has been made of interaspecific races of Inula cappa, Siegesheckia orientalis, Gynura angulosa and Chrysanthemum leucanthemum. Erigeron mucronatus (tetraploid) and E. annuus (triploid) which are quite commonly distributed in the area are apomicts. Three cytotypes are detected in Taraxacum officinale complex (2 n = 24, 27, 32). The treatment by BABCOCK of Pterotheca falconeri as a minor variant of Crepis sancta sub-species bifida is not upheld.