Karyomorphological analysis of Lepidagathis lutea (Acanthaceae): An endemic species from Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Lepidagathis lutea Dalzell is an endemic species to the northern Western Ghats, of which cytology has not been reported until present. In this investigation, basic chromosome count is reported to be eight for the first time for the genus Lepidagathis Willd. The study reveals its closeness to the genus Barleria L. which is shown to have basic chromosome counts 8, 9 and 10. Karyotype and somatic chromosome counts (2n=16) for L. lutea are reported here for the first time. According to Stebbins classification, karyotype is of 4B asymmetric category and the karyotypic formula was observed to be 2n=16=10m+6sm.