Interspecific hybrids between Limonium perigrinum and L. purpuratum we
re obtained using L, perigrinum as the female parent. No hybrids were
produced by the reciprocal cross. Twelve- to 15-day-old embryos were r
escued and cultured within their embryo sacs on modified B5 or KM medi
um. After two to three days the embryos were excised from their embryo
sacs and re-plated on to fresh medium. When the embryo-derived plantl
ets had attained a length of 1 cm they were transferred to a modified
MS medium containing BA and NAA for shoot proliferation. Plantlets wer
e transferred to modified MS medium supplemented with IBA for 24 hours
for root initiation then to a modified growth-regulator-free MS mediu
m for root growth. After a further 28 days the plantlets were transfer
red to soil-less medium for acclimatisation. The hybrid characteristic
s of one of the 15 embryo-derived plants were determined by flow cytom
etry and by examination of morphological features. The mean DNA conten
ts of 2C nuclei from L, perigrinum, the hybrid and L purpuratum were 1
3.98 pg, 16.81 pg and 19.37 pg, respectively. Mitotic and meiotic chro
mosome counts from L. perigrinum and L, purpuratum showed that both pa
rents and their hybrids had identical chromosome numbers (2n = 24), an
d that the species were closely related. Morphological analyses of lea
ves and flowers showed that the hybrids displayed a number of features
intermediate between both parents.