CYTOTAXONOMY OF TWELVE SPECIES OF HIBISCUS SECTION FURCARIA

Abstract

Menzel, Margaret Y. (Florida State U., Tallahassee), and F. D. Wilson. Cytotaxonomy of t welve species of Hibiscus section Furcaria. Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(3): 262–271. Illus. 1963.—Metaphase‐I chromosome numbers and pairing in 88 accessions showed that H. cannabinus, H. costatus, and H. surattensis are diploid (n = 18); and H. acetosella, H. aculeatus, H. bifurcatus, H.furcellatus, H. meeusei, H. radiatus, H. rostellatus and H. sabdariffa are tetraploid (n = 36), with similar low multivalent frequencies, hence probably allotetraploids each combining 2 well‐differentiated genomes. No intraspecific variation in ploidy was found. Fertile, vigorous F 1 hybrids between H.furcellatus and H. bifurcatus showed complete chromosome pairing (n = 36), confirming a close relationship between the parents. Two African strains of H. diversifolius were octoploid (n = 72) with low multivalent frequency and hence probably contain 4 differentiated genomes. At least 4, perhaps 5 or 6, differentiated genome groups are represented in tropical Africa, and at least 2 in the American tropics.