New chromosome number counts and karyotype analyses in three important genera of Zingiberaceae

Abstract

Zingiberaceae has reportedly undergone frequent polyploidization and hybridization events. Here we describe the new chromosome counts and karyomorphological details for the three important members of the family. Root tip cells of plants of Alpinia zerumbet (earlier reported to be 2n = 48, 40) and Globba marantina (reportedly 2n = 44 to 2n = 96) showed 2n = 52 chromosomes, both being aneuploids, Hedychium spicatum plants (2n = 34 according to previous reports) were found to be tetraploid with somatic chromosome number of 2n = 68. Detailed karyomorphological analyses performed using various parameters revealed that all the three novel cytotypes had moderately symmetrical karyotypes with low levels of intra– and interchromosomal variation in terms of both chromosome lengths and centromeric indices.