Karyotypes of four wild Paeonia species from Greece

Abstract

The karyotypes of eight wild Greek Paeonia taxa were studied, viz. P. clusii ssp. clusii (2n = 10, 20), P. clusii ssp. rhodia (2n = 10), P. mascula ssp. mascula (2n = 20), P. mascula ssp. hellenica (2n = 20), P. mascula ssp. icarica (2n = 20), P. mascula ssp. russi (2n = 10), P. peregrina (2n = 20) and P. parnassica (2n = 20). P. mascula and P. clusii have a very similar haploid chromosome complement, x = 5, including three metacentric chromosomes, one submetacentric and one subtelocentric. In the chromosome complements of the tetraploid P. peregrina and P. parnassica the same chromosome types are included but their karyotype differ from those of the former two species by a number of characters. The main karyotype differences are concerned with the size differentiation of the chromosomes which in the case of P. peregrina has resulted in the diploidization of the tetraploid karyotype. From the individuals examined, six were found to have abnormal karyotypes suggesting chromosomal exchanges. These structural aberrations in which mainly submetacentric and subtelocentric chromosomes are involved have also been described and discussed.