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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Nuclear DNA content variation inHalimiumandXolantha(Cistaceae)

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Abstract Chromosome numbers and nuclear DNA contents were determined in several taxa of two genera of Cistaceae, Halimium and Xolantha. The diploid chromosome number 2n = 18 is stable within the genus Halimium. In Xolantha, the diploid chromosome number 2n = 14 was confirmed in X. tuberaria, and hexaploid (2n = 36) and octoploid (2n = 48) cytotypes were found in X. guttata. DNA amounts, first reported here for these genera, were determined by flow cytometry of propidium iodide-stained nuclei. Within Halimium there is a more than twofold difference in genome size between H. calycinum (7.61 pg DNA) and H. atriplicifolium (3.66 pg DNA). Within the genus Xolantha, absolute genome sizes of 7.3 and 9.0 pg DNA were determined for the hexaploid and octoploid cytotypes of X. guttata, respectively, but the mean 2C-values of this polyploid species (2.31) and the diploid X. tuberaria (3.34) are significantly lower than those of Halimium or Cistus.