Karyomorphological Analysis in Strychnos dalzellii C. B. Cl. and Strychnos minor Dennst. - The Indigenous Climbers of India

Abstract

Karyomorphological characterizations are important for accounting floristic geography, origin, evolution, speciation and helps in the documentation of these species genetically. In the present study, a detailed karyotype analysis has been developed for Strychnos dalzellii C. B. Cl. and Strychnos minor Dennst. - the two prosperously growing, ethnomedicinally well-known climbers of the family Loganiaceae. The chromosome number of S. dalzellii and S. minor was found to be 2n=38 and 2n=40 and the karyotypic formula is A12 + B16 + C10 = 2n = 38 and A6+ B14 + C20 = 2n= 40 is respectively. On the basis of position of centromere, the formula can be written as, m34 + sm3 + st1 = 2n= 38 and m38+ sm2 = 2n=40 for Strychnos dalzellii C. B. Cl. and Strychnos minor Dennst. respectively. This pool of genetic variation needs to be measured and recorded to increase the awareness of the importance in adopting conservation and sustainable utilization.