Relationships in Taeniatherum (Poaceae)

Abstract

Hybridization and cytogenetic studies of Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski were carried out on three diploid subspecies (2n = 14) including ssp. caput-medusae, ssp. crinitum (Schreb.) Melderis, and ssp. asperum (Simk.) Melderis. Most combinations showed high sterility. A high degree of bivalent pairing was observed in meiosis, indicating that all taxa have the same basic genome and that the differences between them are genetic rather than segregational. The occurrence of local population adaptation is assumed.