Chromosome numbers for 15 taxa of Hieracium L. s.str. from Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Poland, Romania
and Slovakia are given and their metaphase plates are illustrated. Chromosome numbers are published for the
first time for H. vagneri Pax s.str. (2n = 4x = 36), H. wiesbaurianum subsp. herculanum Zahn (2n = 4x = 36),
H. wiesbaurianum subsp. kelainephes Nyár. & Zahn (2n = 3x = 27), as well as for two undescribed species
of hybrid origin between H. umbellatum L. and H. wiesbaurianum s.lat. (2n = 3x = 27), and between H. sparsum
Friv. and H. schmidtii s.lat. (2n = 3x = 27), and for three undescribed species of the H. djimilense agg.
(2n = 3x = 27), H. heldreichii agg. (2n = 3x = 27), and H. sparsum agg. (2n = 3x = 27). Furthermore, the chromosome
numbers of two undescribed species of hybrid origin between H. umbellatum L. and H. wiesbaurianum
s.lat. (2n = 3x = 27), and between H. sparsum Friv. and H. schmidtii s.lat. (2n = 3x = 27) are given. A new,
tetraploid chromosome number is given for H. barbatum Tausch from the northernmost locality of the species
in Europe.
Chromosome numbers for 15 taxa of Hieracium s.lat. (including two taxa of Pilosella Vaill.) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia are given and their metaphase plates are illustrated. Chromosome numbers are published for the first time for H. pannosum subsp. parnassi Nägeli & Peter from Greece (3x and 4x), and for an undescribed species of H. sect. Cernua from North Macedonia (4x). A new, diploid chromosome number was found in H. bracteolatum s.lat. from Greece.
Chromosome numbers for 23 taxa of Hieracium L. from Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Slovakia are given and their metaphase plates are illustrated. The ploidy level of 8 taxa was also confirmed by flow cytometry. Chromosome numbers are published for the first time for Hieracium bracteolatum subsp. koracis (Boiss.) Zahn (4x), H. marmoreum Pančić & Vis. (3x), H. ossaeum Zahn (3x), H. sartorianum Boiss. & Heldr. (3x), H. sericophyllum Nejčeff & Zahn (3x) as well as for five other undescribed species.
The authors report the first discovery of diploid populations of Hieracium naegelianum Panč. subsp. naegelianum and H. naegelianum subsp. ljubotenicum Behr & Zahn., and give the first chromosome counts for H. cernuum Friv., H. gymnocephalum Griseb. ex Pant., H. sparsum Friv., Pilosella pavichii (Heuff.) Holub and P. serbica (F. W. Schultz & Schultz-Bip.) Szeląg from Macedonia and/or Montenegro. A diploid chromosome count for Hieracium renatae Szeląg is confirmed based on material from the whole distribution range of the species. An emasculation experiment showed that all the analyzed diploid Hieracium taxa reproduce sexually.
Triploid viviparous onions [Allium x cornutum Clementi ex Visiani 1842, syn Allium cepa L. var. viviparum Metzg. (Alef.), auct.] (2n = 3x = 24), are known in some countries only as rare relict crops. In other parts of the world they are still traditionally or even commercially cultivated. In previous cytogenetic studies of the Croatian triploid viviparous onion Ljutika, Giemsa C-banding, chromosome pairing analysis during meiosis, and genomic hybridization in situ indicated a complex hybrid with highly heterozygous karyotype structure, with possible triparental genome organization. This study continues an analysis of the karyotype structure of Ljutika. Staining with fluorochromes CMA3 (Chromomycin A3) and Dapi (4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) confirmed previous results from Giemsa C-banding and revealed GC-rich heterochromatic regions associated mainly with chromosome ends and nucleolus organizing regions (NORs), and only a few interstitial bands. Fish mapping of the ribosomal 18S-5.8S-26S genes revealed two major rDNA signals on the short arms of two subtelocentric satellite chromosomes in almost all metaphase plates of Ljutika. The largest subtelocentric chromosome lacked rDNA signals. A significantly smaller rDNA signal was occasionally located on one small submetacentric chromosome. These results are in agreement with previously published results from identification of NORs by silver-staining technique, which confirmed a maximum three nucleoli in interphase nuclei. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying rearrangements and activity of ribosomal genes in the triploid karyotype.