Biotemas (Dec 2014)
Analysis of meiotic behavior in Cordia ecalyculata Vell. (Boraginaceae)
Abstract
Cordia ecalyculata belongs to the Boraginaceae family, and is commonly known as buggy coffee. It is indicated for medicinal use as a tonic, diuretic, anti-inlammatory and appetite suppressant. Young inlorescences of six individuals were collected and ixed in a mixture of ethanol and acetic acid (3:1) for 24 hours. The slides were prepared by crushing and staining tissue with 1% acetic carmine. During microsporogenesis some irregularities were observed, mostly frequently related to irregular chromosome segregation. Irregularities included: precocious migration to poles in metaphase I and II, disoriented bivalent chromosomes at metaphase I and II, laggard chromosomes in anaphase I and II, and micronuclei formation. We also observed irregular spindle organization in meiosis II, leading to ‘T’ and ‘V’ shaped spindle conigurations. In the V-shaped coniguration, two nearby nuclei fused, forming triads instead of tetrads; this lead to formation of 2n microspore at the end of meiosis. However, pollen grain viability was not compromised, as pollen grain viability varied between 95.42% and 100%.
