KARYOTYPE ANALYSIS AND NEW CHROMOSOME NUMBER REPORTS OF THE GENUS ECHINOPS L. (ASTERACEAE, CARDUEAE) FROM IRAN

Echinops is a genus of Asteraeceae that is represented in Iran by 72 species, karyotype analysis was performed on 18 population of 7 Echinops species in southern slope of Central Albourzof Iran . The taxa revealed chromosome counts of 2n=30, 32, 34 and 36. Chromosome numbers of 5 species are reported for the first time including E. cephalotes, E. chorassanicus, E. macrophyllus, E. robustus and E. elbursensis. There are multiple basic chromosome numbers in a few Echinops species. Differences in basic chromosome numbers point towards the possible role played by centric fusion/fission in the karyotypic evolution of the genus. The chromosomes were mainly metacentric or sub-metacentric and their size varied from 41.40 μm in E. cephalotes of Khojir (1) to 79.02 μm in E. elbursensis of Emamzadeh Hashem population. The species occupied classes 1A, 1B and 2B of stebbin's karyotype classification, indicating them to have primitive karyotype. Cluster analysis of karyotype features indicated that cytological studies didn’t support sectional classification.