Cytotaxonomic studies in the Iberian species of the genus Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae)

Abstract

Cuscuta is a genus of parasitic plants with great diversity in size, number and type of chromosomes. All the species included in Cuscuta subgenus Cuscuta are characterized by the holocentric chromosomes whereas they are monocentric in the species of subgenera Grammica and Monogyna. In this paper we summarize the data previously published on the karyology of the genus. study the chromosomic characterization of the Iberian species and identify new chromosome numbers for the genus and for several species. The chromosome numbers found in some species such as C. epithymum indícate the possibility of agmatoploidy and simploidy in the genus.

Keywords

• agmatoploidy
• holocentric chromosomes
• cuscuta
• symploidy