CHROMOSOME-NUMBERS IN SOME SPECIES OF ACANTHACEAE

Cytological observations were made on 12 spp. Hemigraphis latebrosa var. rupestris (n = 14), Lepidagathis incurva var. mollis (n = 42) and Peristrophe speciosa (n = 30) provide the first reports for these species. Justicia quinqueangularis var. peploides with 2n = 18 is the first report for this variety. The chromosome number of Thunbergia erecta (n = 31) and L. purpuricaulis (n = 11) are different from the previous reports for these species. The occurrence of aneuploid or polyploid cytotypes within limits of taxonomic species are evident in T. erecta (2n = 52, about 56, 60, 62, 64), Blepharis maderaspatensis (n = 13, 15), L. purpuricaulis (n = 11, 42), Rungia parviflora (n = 8, 15, 25, 26), and P. bicalyculata (n = 10, 15). Dicliptera roxburghiana (2n = 26) revealed abnormal meiosis. The irregularities in chromosome behavior comprised univalence producing segregational errors and "tetrads" with variable number of unequal sized pollen grains. The remaining species include B. molluginifolia (n = 17) and L. cuspidata (n = 11).