New karyological data and chromosomal variations in genus Satureja

Abstract

The genus Satureja belonging to the Lamiaceae family includes about 200 species, generally aromatic, distributed in the Mediterranean basin. In genus Satureja, the chromosomal data were reported from only 26 species. In this study, it is aimed to eliminate the deficiencies in the chromosomal data of Satureja species, which are distributed in Turkey, which is an important center of the genus. A basic number of x = 15 dominated in reported Satureja species excluding S. hortensis. However, different basic numbers were reported. The basic number variations were probably caused by descending or ascending dysploidy and dibasic polyploidy. Nine species were diploid with 2x = 30 and two species were polyploid with 4x = 44, 48, and 60. Polyploidy was probably one of the important mechanisms in the karyotype evolution of the genus. As a result, it was reported only one chromosome number (2n = 30), the first report for chromosome numbers of three taxa, the same chromosome count (excluding B-chromosomes) from previous report in only one species, and the correction of the chromosome number of previous report in only one species. The results contributed to some missing data in Satureja cytotaxonomy.

Keywords

• Satureja
• karyotype
• dysploidy
• polyploidy
• Turkey