Preliminary Chromosome Studies on the Vascular Plants of Taiwan (V): Cytotaxonomy on Some Monocotyledons

Abstract

Chromosome counts of 64 taxa belonging to 47 genera and 12 families are reported in this study. The tribe Ophiopogoneae of the lily family, Liliaceae, and the genus Dendrobium of the orchid family. Orchidaceae, have been studied intensively using living materials cultivated in Taipei. Some effort has been made to make a cyto-taxonomical study of the plants from Lanhsu Island (Botel Tobago) where the flora is not yet completely known. A total of 21 taxa have been investigated. A brief synopsis for the tribe Ophiopogoneae of the lily family is proposed for Taiwan species, and a new basic number of X = 9 is suggested. In the genus Dendrobium, it seems there are three groups of plants that can be recognized based on the characters of the pseudobulbs and the leaves, and on their different basic chromosome number, i.e. X =10, X = 19, and X = 15. Of the chromosome studies made, 29 taxa are reported here for the first time. Most of these are of the endemic members of the orchid family.