title: Karyomorphometry on three polyploid species of Arum L. (Araceae, Aroideae).
abstract: In this study three polyploid Arum Linnaeus, 1753 species from Southern Italy were chromosomally investigated. Arum italicum Miller, 1768 was found to have 2n = 84 chromosomes and a karyotype composed of numerous asymmetric chromosomes. Arum maculatum Linnaeus, 1753 and Arum apulum (Carano) P. C. Boyce, 1993 were found to have 2n = 56 chromosomes. In the examined taxa some chromosome pairs were characterized by the presence of weakly coloured Feulgen-stained segments. The karyotype morphology of Arum italicum was found to be similar to that of Arum maculatum, but the more asymmetrical karyotype and numerous weakly coloured Feulgen-stained segments observed in the former suggest the existence of more extensive rearrangements. In contrast, Arum apulum was observed to have a symmetrical karyotype. The A1, A2 and SYi karyotype asymmetry indices are presented. The relationships between these taxa in terms of karyotype morphology and evolution are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, Via prov.le Lecce-Monteroni 6, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, Via prov.le Lecce-Monteroni 6, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Medagli
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, Via prov.le Lecce-Monteroni 6, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Plant Biology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via Orabona 4, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Emerico
keywords: Allocyclic segments; Arum apulum; Arum italicum; Arum maculatum; karyotype asymmetry; karyotype evolution
references.citation: Plant Physiol. 2003 Aug;132(4):1779-80
references.pmid: 12959098
references.citation: Ann Bot. 2012 Mar;109(4):681-92
references.pmid: 22210850