Cytotaxonomy of autumnal flowering species of Hyacinthaceae from Algeria

Abstract

Cytotaxonomic investigations of the autumn-flowering squills, Prospero autumnale (L.) Speta ≡ Scilla autumnalis L., Prospero obtusifolium (Poir.) Speta ≡ Scilla obtusifolia Poir., Barnardia numidica (Poir.) Speta ≡ Scilla numidica Poir., and Hyacinthoides lingulata (Poir.) Rothm. ≡ Scilla lingulata Poir. were performed in 20 populations from northern Algeria located between Tipasa and La Vieille Calle. Various chromosome numbers were found, including a new cytotype, 2n = 8, for the flora of Algeria, concerning plants identified as Prospero obtusifolium (Poir.) Speta [including P. fallax (Steinh.) Speta = S. autumnalis L. ssp. fallax (Steinh.) Batt.]. The numbers 2n = 14, 28, and 42 correspond, respectively, to diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid levels of P. autumnale s.l. [including P. pulchellum (Munby) Speta ≡ Scilla pulchella Munby = S. autumnalis var. pulchella (Munby) Batt.], with x = 7. The cytotypes of Barnardia numidica (Poir.) Speta with 2n = 18 and Hyacinthoides lingulata (Poir.) Rothm. with 2n = 16 chromosomes were confirmed.