Karyotype analysis of Santalum album L.

Abstract

— A karyomorphological study on Santalum album was conducted for the first time. The interphase nucleus was a simple chromocenter type while the prophase chromosomes were of the interstitial type. The shoot-tip meristems of some S. album individuals were found to be mixoploid, i.e. 2n = 2× = 20 and 2n = 4× = 40. Two different karyotypes, one diploid (2n = 2× = 20) and one tetraploid (2n = 4× = 40), were also present; their karyotypic formulae were 2n = 20 = 18m + 2sm and 2n = 40 = 32m (2SAT) + 8sm, respectively. The chromosomes of both karyotypes showed centromeres predominantly in a median position and a few submedian centromeres, of 2B type, of a primitive and symmetrical nature. © 2010 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.