Contributions to a chromosome atlas of the New Zealand flora ‐ 38. Counts for 50 families

Abstract

Documented chromosome numbers are reported for 187 taxa (170 species, 9 subspecies, 8 varieties), 5 hybrids (four putative, one artificial), and 18 of uncertain rank from 50 families (84 genera; 2 lycophyte, 11 pterophyte and 71 anthophyte). Of these, 189 counts are new for the New Zealand flora (167 of these are from named taxa). Many of the counts reported are from more poorly investigated families (e.g., Cyperaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Pota‐mogetonaceae) and genera (e.g., Desmoschoenus, Freycinetia, Lycopodiella, Lycopodium, Potamo‐geton, Schoenus), indigenous to New Zealand, or from nationally uncommon and/or threatened taxa (e.g., Eleocharis neozelandica, Hebe societatis, Myriophyllum robustum, and Pittosporum dallii), and/or newly described plants (e.g., Gingidia gri‐sea, Olearia adenocarpa), while three counts are from naturalised species (Alternanthera sessilis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, and Senecio skirrhodon), and one from a cultivated plant of Metrosideros nervulosa. In the majority of genera the numbers follow established patterns. Counts have now been obtained for all known New Zealand representatives of the Alseuosmiaceae, Chloranthaceae, Dryopteri‐daceae, Elatinaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Geraniaceae, Hydatellaceae, Lauraceae, Linaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Nephrolepidaceae, Nyctagina‐ceae, Pandanaceae, Polypodiaceae, Sapotaceae, and Thelypteridaceae.