A Cytological Study of Seven Species in Section Proliferae of Primula(Primulaceae)

Chromosome number and karyomorphology of seven species from section Proliferae of Primula(Primulaceae) were investigated.The karyomorphology of two species:P.chrysochlora Balf.f.et Ward and P.mallophylla Balf.f.were reported for the first time.By analysing the data in the seven species and available data published in this section,the result suggested that most species showed far-reaching conformity in size,shape of the chromosome and the main arrangement of the constrictions.The difference of karyomorphology between species was small,and most species were of median-centromeric and submedian-centromeric,which belonged to Stebbins’ 2A or 2B.The basic chromosome number is x=11,which supported that sect.Proliferae was close to some sections with same basic chromosome number in Primula.To offer cytology proof for systematic evolution in section Proliferae,we also combined the published data of cytology and morphological feature in section Proliferae for comparative analysis.