Cytotaxonomy of Lychnophoriopsis Sch.Bip. and Paralychnophora MacLeish species (Asteraceae: Vernonieae: Lychnophorinae)

Abstract

The genera Lychnophoriopsis and Paralychnophora are endemic to Brazilian 'campo rupestre' in the States of Minas Gerais and Bahia. To analyse the status of the cytotaxonomy of these genera, we carried out chromosome counts on several species. Two chromosome numbers were obtained for four species of Paralychnophora: 2n = 36 and 2n = 38. For three species of Lychnophoriopsis, only 2n = 36 was observed. The chromosome size (1.0-2.58 μm) and morphology (mainly metacentric, with some submetacentric) were analysed in four species of Paralychnophora and showed relative constancy. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London.