Karyotype studies endemic plant species Astragalus sericeocanus Gontsch. (Fabaceae) around Lake Baikal, Siberia

Abstract

A study of the karyotype and chromosome of six Astragalus sericeocanus populations from different parts of Lake Baikal's shoreline was undertaken. Each population had the same chromosome number, 2n = 16. The population was divided into three groups depending on the karyotype formulae 2n = 16=8m+8sm, 2n = 16=6m+10sm and 2n = 16=4m+12sm. The analysis of the karyotype asymmetry indexes showed that population on Millionnyi Island had the most asymmetrical and evolutionary karyotype and the population along the River Turka had the most symmetrical karyotype in all of the populations. The plants from all studied populations have similar chromosome morphology. © 2014 © 2014 Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica, Università di Firenze.