Apogamous Isoetes coromandelina L.f. (Isoetaceae) with asynaptic meiosis

Abstract

This cytological study on Isoetes coromandelina L.f (Isoetaceae) from Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, South India shows the presence of twenty two individual chromosomes along with a fragment (n=2n=22+1) during meiosis in megaspore mother cells without the presence of any bivalent. Cytomixis between two megaspores is very common, resulting in the formation of a high percentage of abortive spores. The present material is of an apogamous taxon with asynaptic Meiosis as reported by Abraham and Ninan from Kerala and Karnataka.

Keywords

• Isoetes coromandelina
• asynaptic meiosis
• apogamy