Probatova N.S.
Chromosome numbers in Poaceae and their importance for taxonomy, phylogeny, phytogeography (the Russian Far East)
Year: 2007, Issue: LV, Pages: 9 - 103
The analysis of data on chromosome numbers in the Grass Family (Poaceae) of the Russian Far East (RFE) is presented, in connection with taxonomy, phylogeny, phytogeography. The history of chromosome studies on Poaceae in RFE, taxonomical composition, main features of geographical distribution and ecology in various taxa are considered. A great diversity of chromosome numbers in Poaceae is revealed. Today the chromosome data for 352 plant species from RFE are known (76% of total grass species amount in RFE). About 50 species were studied outside of RFE, for 67 species the chromosome numbers are still unknown. Morphological, geographical and caryological studies made possible to reveal relationships in some large genera, the main trends of evolution. The main directions of caryotype evolution in two large tribes – Aveneae and Poeae are under discussion. In the Aveneae and Poeae a tendency to transformation of the ancestral basic number of chromosomes (x), by its successive reduction, is apparent, but in RFE another tendency prevails: polyploidization, mostly under x = 7. The latter is common in all progressive genera, especially in RFE. The significance of hybridization in evolution of Poaceae in RFE is shown.