A cytotaxonomic study of Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) from South Africa

Abstract

Numerical taxonomical methods were applied to the cytological data obtained from 97 Lantana camara L. plants. This resulted in the delimitation of 11 cytogroups at three polyploid levels. No correlation was found to exist between the cytological data and plant morphology. The cytological data demonstrated that L. camara is in an active evolutionary phase and, because most plants are intermediates in a transitional stage of speciation, no attempt to recognize infraspecific entities will succeed. Numeriese taksonomiese metodes is toegepas op die sitologiese data wat van 97 Lantana camara L. plante verkry is. Hierdie resultate het die afbakening van 11 sitogroepe op drie poliploïede vlakke tot gevolg gehad. Geen verband kon tussen die sitologiese data en plantmorfologie gevind word nie. Die sitologiese data toon aan dat L. camara in ’n aktiewe evolusionêre fase is. Omdat die meeste plante tussenvorme in ’n oorgangsfase van ’n spesiasie-proses is, sal geen poging om groepe onder spesievlak te identifiseer slaag nie.