Comparison of the Giemsa C‐banded karyotypes of Hystrix coreana and H. patula (Poaceae, Triticeae)

Abstract

The karyotypes of Hystrix coreana from eastern USSR and H. patula from USA were investigated by Giemsa C‐banding. Both species are outbreeders and have 2n = 4x = 28. The karyotype of two plants of H. coreana has 10 metacentric, 6 submetacentric, 8 heterobrachial and 4 SAT chromosomes; two plants differed by having 12 metacentric, 4 submetacentric, 8 heterobrachial and 4 SAT‐chromosomes, and 10 metacentric, 4 submetacentric, 9 heterobrachial and 5 SAT‐chromosomes, respectively. The C‐banding pattern had no or few inconspicuous intercalary bands, but conspicuous telomeric C‐bands in one or both arms giving a high content of heterochromatin (16.3–18.2%). The chromosome complement of one plant of H. patula had 8 metacentric, 6 submetacentric, 8 heterobrachial and 6 SAT‐chromosomes. The C‐banding pattern had between 1 and 4 intercalary or centromeric bands and conspicuous telomeric bands on one or both arms giving a high content of constitutive heterochromatin (16.4%).