Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 8. (Budapest 1957)

Baksay, L.: The cytotaxonomy of the species Chrysanthemum maximum Ram., Centaurea montana L., Serratula lycopifolia (Vill.) Kern., and Bupleurum falcatum L., ranging in Europe

In the case of the tetraploid species, 8 double satellites can be seen, and the shape of the chromosomes also agree with those of the diploid species (fig. 1 a). We did not succeed to make meiosis examinations of the tetraploid species, which could have decided on the kind of polyploidy ; the very good seed developing lets us suppose, however, that we have to deal with an intraspecific polyploidy. Namely, C. Triumfetti is very rich in forms, within which one may find every transition from plants with a lower stature and a white-grey indumentum of the leaves to specimens of a taller stature ; indeed, within these, leaf-shapes and measurements are also highly divergent. In the Mediterranean area, it is represented by varieties of a small stature, whilst the taller forms are more frequent in Central European territories. There are not only morphological but physiological differences as well among the varieties, indeed, on the basis of observations made in gardens, there are differences between the developmental and flowering periods of the plants, — which mean a genetic differentiation. The tetraploid C. montana, originating from the form group of C. Triumfetti is, of course, a young species, and it came into being probably at the and of the Ice Age on the southwestern parts of the Alps. Having examined the herbarium species and forms of C. montana and C. Triumfetti, we found that the tetraploid species has a thick stem with usually large and broad leaves, it is unicapitate, its scales have black margins, its sparse and short fringes are dark and not longer than the breadth of the margin. The ssp. mollis wholly agrees with C. montana, as concerns its polyploid features and the measurements of the various organs. The diploid has a thinner stem, with narrower and thicker leaf blades, the capitula are smaller, the fringes of the scales are always longer than the lighter or darker colored margin, they are arranged more or less pectinately, wholly, or at least the end of the fringes, of a light color. On the basis of the morphological characters of the polyploid, we may narrow down the form group of C. montana ; so, e. g. the third subspecies Lugdunensis (Jord.), enumerated under C. montana L. by G u g I e r belongs, on the opinion of the present author, to the form group of C. Triumfetti and not to C. montana, — as witnessed also by herbarium specimens and the remark of G u g 1 e r that it excedingly approaches C. variegata. The area map of C. montana was published by U. Schwarz (1955) but he disregarded its occurrence in the Caucasus. Having to deal with a critical species and, as we have remarked, since the name C. montana L. used earlier sensu lato, numerous authors contested and still contest its Causasian localities. In the herbarium, there are 2 excellent specimens collected by L. Hollos (Caucasus, pag. Klye), besides, also S o m m i e r and Levier publish C. montana from 4 localities between 2000—2800 meters ; the eastern border of its range is therefore in the Caucasus. C. Fischeri Willd. of the Caucasus belongs also to the relationship of C. montana, that is, C. Triumfetti, split also into many subspecies or small species. One of them is C. ochroleuca Willd. ( = C. Fischeri ssp. ochroleuca Sosn.), its chromosome number being, according to the examinations of Poddubnaia, 2n = 40 (4x). This plant, aside of the color of its flower, highly resembles C. Fischeri ssp. euatrata Dostál, or, according to G r o s s h e i m, C. atrata Willd. The capitulum of this latter one is, however, smaller, its leaves also smaller and narrower, its stem thinner ; it is a diploid plant by its external characters. The case concerning the form groups of C. Fischeri may be the same as in those of C. montana and C. Triumfetti, — they are substitution species.