Meiotic studies of some South African cultivars of Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)

Abstract

Lantana camara L. is a polyploid species with a basic chromosome number of 11 (x = l l ) . Chromosome association in 39 cultivars indicated the occurrence of univalents to heptavalents with bivalents predominating. Multivalent association analysis revealed the presence in South Africa of at least four different groups of L. camara at the diploid level.

The potential for sexual reproduction must exist, at least at the diploid level, to account for differences in chromosomal behaviour that can only be attributed to hybridization. The possibility exists that the basic chromosome number may be lower than 11, or else postspeciation genomic evolution must have occurred. No cytogenetical correlation exists between the South African and Indian cultivars.

The number of chiasmata per genome increases with an increase in the polyploid level. Most multivalents are of the chain type. Univalents during diakinesis are the result of asynapsis. Triploid and pentaploid plants display a markedly abnormal meiosis.  L. camara is a segmental allopolyploid species.