A cytological study of flowering plants from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract Al-Turki, T. A., Filfilan, S. A. & Mehmood, S. F.: A cytological study of flowering plants from Saudi Arabia. ? Willdenowia 30: 339?358. 2000. ? ISSN 000-000. The chromosome numbers of 31 taxa belonging to 14 families of angiosperms collected from different regions of Saudi Arabia are reported. These include first chromosome number reports for six species: Anabasis setifera 2n=18, Cleome amblyocarpa 2n=20, Halopeplis perfoliata 2n=18, Lavandula coronopifolia 2n=42, Lycium shawii 2n=24 and Salvia deserti 2n=48. A new basic number and/or a new ploidy level is reported for two species: Asphodelus tenuifolius 2n=4x=52 and Heliotropium lasiocarpum 2n=4x=32. The chromosome numbers of the other 23 species are the first reports from Saudi Arabian populations: Abrus precatorius 2n=22, Alhagi camelorum 2n=16+2B, Amaranthus spinosus 2n=34, Astragalus abyssinicus 2n=16, Bienertia cycloptera 2n=18, Capparis spinosa 2n= 38, Chenopodium album 2n=54, C. ambrosioides 2n=32, C. ficifolium 2n=18, C. glaucum 2n=18, C. murale 2n=18, Datura innoxia 2n=24, Halocnemum strobilaceum 2n=18, Leptadenia pyrotechnica 2n=22, Moltkiopsis ciliata 2n=12, Rumex dentatus 2n=40, Salvia aegyptiaca 2n=28, S. spinosa 2n=20, Senna alexandrina 2n=28, Sesuvium sesuvioides 2n=16, Silene apetala 2n=24, Withania somnifera 2n=48 and Zygophyllum coccineum 2n=16. Karyotype analyses for six species, viz. Alhagi camelorum, Astragalus abyssinicus, Datura innoxia, Moltkiopsis ciliata, Sesuvium sesuvioides and Rumex dentatus are presented.