CYTOGENETIC STUDIES IN THE GENUS TRIBOLIUM (POACEAE, DANTHONIEAE) .5.SECTION ACUTIFLORAE, RELATED GENERA, AND CONCLUSIONS

The section Acutiflorae of the genus Tribolium Desv., comprises four s pecies [T. acutiflorum (Nees) Renv., T. glomeratum sensu Davidse, T. o bliterum sensu Davidse and T. obtusifolium (Nees) Renv.]. Tetraploid ( T. acutiflorum, T. glomeratum and T. obliterum) and hexaploid (T. glom eratum) chromosome numbers have been observed. Meiosis is mostly norma l and B-chromosomes are present. The species are similar in gross morp hology and hybridization occurs. The number of species in the section Acutiflorae should be reduced from four to two, namely T. acutiflorum sensu stricto and a T. obliterum-hybrid swarm. Prionanthium Desv. diff ers cytogenetically from Tribolium and Urochlaena Nees.